


Know How to Fall

by DisgruntledMinion, ImperialMint



Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-20
Updated: 2012-07-21
Packaged: 2017-11-10 09:58:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 139,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/465008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DisgruntledMinion/pseuds/DisgruntledMinion, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImperialMint/pseuds/ImperialMint
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It is not enough for a man to know how to ride; he must know how to fall.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**.**

The fresh smell of hay filled the cool barn and the sounds of horses snorting echoed throughout the large barn. Outside the barns, people milled around the rolling Kentucky grounds. Laughter and joyous conversation was heard across the park as hundreds strolled from event to event, enjoying the warm weather.

It was a nice autumn day, perfect for a horse competition. Excitement was in the air, making the horses prance around as they were groomed. The stable hands were familiar with the horses, working with the rider of the horse and so were able to smooth down the nerves of the horses while the riders registered and prepared for the upcoming events.

Running a hand over his horse's shoulder to keep him calm, Naruto led his bay Quarter Horse down the wide aisle. They passed by several riders and he nodded to them politely, admiring their tall horses.

Beside him, his horse dipped his head and nudged his pocket for a treat. Naruto laughed at his actions and pushed the head away gently, knowing that Wichita didn't need another apple slice. The gelding snorted at him when he was denied the treat, choosing to ignore him as they approached his stall.

"Don't be like that," Naruto scolded lightly as he let the horse back into the stall. "You know you're the only one for me."

The gelding turned around, sticking his rump in Naruto's face and started munching on his hay. Naruto shook his head and moved away from the stall door, pausing only to slip a slice of apple into the food bucket.

Humming to himself, he moved down the aisle and scanned the stalls around him. Most of the horses were already gone, getting ready for the dressage event in a few hours. Naruto's nose wrinkled at the thought; give him a western saddle any day, dressage was too formal and stiff for him.

He paused as he passed by a stall and took a few steps back to look at the horse that rested inside. His eyes traced over the mount and he moved back as the horses head poked over the stall door, butting him in the chest.

"Hey there," he said softly. Checking up and down the aisle and deeming it clear, he reached forward to let the horse sniff his hand. "You're a pretty thing, aren't you?"

The horse snorted lightly, air breezing over Naruto's hand. It bobbed its head, flipping its upper lip back on itself, curling up to reveal pink gums and long teeth. Naruto smiled.

"You're laughing," he said, reaching a hand out to rub the horse behind the ear, palm striking against the mottled grey hairs.

"The technical term is flehmen. It's when the horse deems a scent worthy enough to be pressed into the nostrils," a voice called out, causing Naruto to turn round, hand stilling its motions.

The horse butted him gently, coaxing his hand back into motion. A man stood a few feet away, long, dark hair tied at the nape of his neck with a hair band and eyes staring pointedly at Naruto.

He was wearing basic riding clothes, black jodhpurs and a dark top, the outfit of any stable hand. He was probably coming to collect a horse to groom for the dressage competition, which explained his stuck-up attitude.

"Well good for him, can't say he'll like the smell of you though," Naruto probably shouldn't have insulted the man, but he hated it when people acted arrogant around him.

Just because he rode in a different manner to the eventers, they all assumed he was some sort of idiot who couldn't ride properly. There was a reason he chose to ride Western, and it wasn't for the scenery (though that could be a perk). He felt more free and alive in a Western saddle and the thought of sitting solidly in a dressage competition made Naruto feel slightly ill.

The man looked Naruto up and down, an eyebrow arching slowly.

"She's a mare," he said, shifting his weight.

Naruto noticed then the difference in speech pattern, namely the accent of the man. He was definitely here on one of the teams, undoubtedly one of the British teams. Naruto wondered who the rider of his team was and whether he'd heard of them.

Often with foreign riders in FEI World Equestrian Games, the best riders came from their respective countries. Of course, you did get lesser-known competitors, but some of the world's best turned up. In eventing, Great Britain certainly did hold a candle to a few major names; even so that Naruto knew them.

The mare behind him whickered in her throat, encouraging Naruto to stay where he was. Her head moved a little further out of the stable door, her neck arching over Naruto's shoulder. She bobbed her head again, shaking it a little at the man in front of them.

Naruto watched as the man dug into his pocket, pulling out a segment of carrot. While in any other context that would look odd, in the middle of a yard full of horses, having carrots in your pockets was a perfectly normal thing.

The man put the carrot in his mouth, chewing on the orange vegetable, before digging into his pockets again. Naruto frowned. Was this man just teasing the horse?

The mare whickered again, snorting noisily into Naruto's ear. He chuckled, stepping back slightly to look at her face. She really was a beautiful horse. From what Naruto could see, she was some sort of eventing breed (obviously) and very tall. Her head was well chiseled, sat atop a long neck. There was no denying she was beautiful and Naruto wondered what she'd look like in motion.

His thoughts were cut off as she snorted again, pulling her neck from Naruto's hands and out to the man. He had pulled out a pack of something from his pockets, offering one on a flat palm to the horse. Naruto frowned; was this even allowed? Especially at eventing stages, people were cautious to give horses they didn't know pieces of fruit, let alone mysterious white, circular things.

"Are you allowed to do that?" Naruto blurted out.

The man fixed him a look again. "Well Susanoo is my horse; I think I'm allowed to feed her a Polo."

Naruto's eyebrow rose as he looked at the small white thing; he'd never heard of a Polo before. His eyes widened slightly at the thought of the man trying to drug or poison the horse while her rider was away.

He slapped the approaching hand away and the small white drug bounced onto the floor, breaking into pieces. "Polo huh, is that what they're calling it these days?" He moved back in front of the mare, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm not letting you near this horse nor am I moving until her real owner comes back. Trying to drug her with a...'Polo', that's just sick."

The man blinked at him before his lips twitched into a smile, making Naruto scowl at him. This bastard thought it was funny! He just tried to drug someone's horse and he thought it was the funniest thing in the world that Naruto had caught him.

"As I previously said, she's my horse. It's just a mint, but then I guess you American's don't know much about quality things. Your chocolate, for example."

Naruto gritted his back teeth, frowning. The man smiled again, shrugging off Naruto's anger and opened the packet a little more, ripping the paper and foil to reveal more of the 'mints'.

"I'll show you," the man indulged, putting another mint on his palm. Naruto prepared himself to defend the horse, narrowing his eyes, but the man placed it in his own mouth instead.

Behind Naruto, the horse kicked the stable door. A few people milling around the yard turned with a scowl to the horse that had disrupted the calm. Naruto frowned right back, eyes still fixed on the man in front of him.

Crunching noises escaped the man's mouth as he chewed up the Polo. A second later, he swallowed, opening his jaw to show Naruto a pink tongue and two rows of white teeth. Polo gone.

"It's just a mint. You don't have them here, but Susanoo loves them." The man took a step towards the mare he claimed was his, preparing another mint. She kicked the stable door again impatiently and Naruto watched as the man smiled.

"I know, but this little creature didn't believe me."

Naruto bristled at being called a 'little creature'. Just because he may be a few centimetres shorter than this man didn't give the man the right to call him short. And he certainly wasn't a creature either!

The mare turned her head away from the man, air snorting from her soft nostrils as her muzzle rested against Naruto's head. He could smell her breath, sweet and warm, on his cheek and smiled at the familiarity of the gesture. Wichita always rested his head against Naruto, often using him for a rubbing post.

He reached up and scratched her cheek. The mare seemed to know the other male but Naruto still wasn't sure. He had always been protective of Wichita and this pretty lady was quickly stealing his heart too; no way he was going to let her get hurt.

Still, the man had already shown that the mint really was just that and Susanoo pranced excitedly at the outstretched hand. But the man was a jerk! How could such a rude man own such a sweet horse?

Naruto glared up at the man, studying him silently and dark eyes met his. Scowling, Naruto placed a hand on the mare's nose, keeping her head from moving forward more. She snorted at him and stomped her foot at his over-protectiveness. It was silent for a second before Susanoo pushed her head forward quickly and knocked Naruto's hand away.

She lipped at treat on the waiting hand and Naruto sucked in a deep breath, waiting for the horse to keel over. When nothing happened after a few tense minutes, Naruto chuckled weakly and scratched the back of his head. "Guess it was a mint after all." His hand dropped from his head and pointed to the male.

"That still doesn't mean you can call me a 'little creature', that's just rude. I was looking out for your mare, ya know."

The man shrugged, walking to the side of the stall where Susanoo was stabled. Naruto watched as he pulled a key from his jodhpur pocket, opening the door that rested between two stables. From his knowledge of how the stables were set out here, the general layout went stable, storage room, stable, storage room. It was so each of the riders could store the equipment they needed next to the horse, causing travel time between horsebox and stalls to be voided.

It also allowed the rider to change clothes in ease as well as set out their tack for cleaning. Only the rider and respective teams could get into the room next to the stalls and it was the proof that Naruto needed to accept the man as the owner of Susanoo.

Susanoo turned her head away from the open top half of the door, walking into the shade of her stable. Naruto had the chance then to read the information clipped to the inside of the door. It had the horse's name, Susanoo, and the names of her team. Naruto noted that the man's team consisted solely of Japanese names, and yet they were riding for GB. Perhaps it was a characteristic that drew them together?

The name of the owner was printed and easy to find. At least Naruto now had a name to put to the moody bastard's face. Itachi Uchiha. Or, in its correct Japanese, Uchiha Itachi. Naruto grinned at his next thought, maybe he could scare the man by showing him he knew his name.

"Oi, Itachi!"

The man didn't even poke his head out of the storage room. He emerged from the storage room with a bored look on his face and a haynet, full, in his hands.

"Excuse me please," he said monotonously as he moved his foot, unlocking the kickbolt with his toes. The metal clanged as it moved, knocking against the metal catch on the other side of the stable wall. Next, Itachi moved to the bolt at the top, opening the door completely and greeting Susanoo with a calm hello.

Itachi entered, leaving Naruto standing alone. Naruto knew he should be angry for this, but there was something about the way Itachi moved around his horse that was, well it reminded Naruto of the way he moved around Wichita. And he loved his horse more than anything.

Just watching the man move around put him at ease and Naruto leaned against the wall. "So what kind of horse is Susanoo? I usually look at Quarter Horses and tend to ignore other breeds," Naruto said with a small laugh.

Itachi looked up, fixing him with a blank stare before returning to his horse. Naruto sputtered and huffed, not knowing what Itachi's problem was. If anything, he should be glad that someone else cared about the welfare of his mare, making sure that no one else was trying to harm her.

He grinned. Unless the bastard was jealous that his mare liked someone else besides him. He chuckled at the thought and Itachi looked back up, obviously wondering why he was still there.

"Look, I'm sorry about earlier, although you have to admit it was kinda funny." Itachi grunted at him and Naruto plowed forward with his one sided conversation. "I'll tell you about my horse, okay? He's a bay Quarter Horse who can't travel anywhere without favorite food bucket. He gets anxious when he travels and it smells like home, so it helps calm him down."

Naruto paused to see if Itachi was even listening before continuing again. "We're here for the western part of the competition, but that was earlier this week and we've finished already. Now we're just hanging out and watching the others compete." By now, Itachi had moved away from his mare and was walking over to him. "So what are you here for?" he asked, poking Itachi in the shoulder.

Itachi exited the stall, pointedly ignoring the jab to his shoulder. He sighed heavily as he felt the other male follow him and turned to face the blond. There was nothing wrong with the guy, but Itachi didn't want this kind of situation. He wasn't the most outgoing of people regardless of the situation, but he wanted to spend the free moments he had before the competition in silence, relaxing.

Itachi was about to tell the guy to bugger off when a familiar face appeared.

"Kisame," he greeted his friend and stable hand. The tall man eyed the blond with a soft smile before jerking his thumb in the direction of the stable.

"Hey, Deidara's waiting in the horse box. He refuses to come out until Susanoo's ready to be groomed and you're out of the way. What the hell did you do to him this time?"

Itachi shrugged. He wasn't to be held responsible for what Deidara took as an insult. If they weren't such good friends deep down, Itachi knew that Deidara would have quit ages ago. As it was, the blond man became upset over the smallest things. The latest? Itachi had been accepted into the World Equestrian Games and he hadn't.

The best part? Deidara hadn't even entered. Though apparently that didn't matter in the illogical schoolyard rivalry of Deidara.

"I'll get her out and you can go get Deidara. In that time I'll make sure everything else is ready."

Kisame nodded, eyes flickering to the expectant gaze of the shortest member of their trio.

"And who's this?"

Itachi opened his mouth to speak, pausing when he realized he didn't actually know the name of the blond fiend who had the balls to steal his horse's attention away. Not that Itachi was jealous. Of course not. But he had a competition to win and he couldn't allow for distractions.

"Naruto," Naruto greeted, sticking his hand out joyfully. Itachi resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I'm guessing y'all are from Britain too?"

At Kisame's nod, Naruto grinned. "How do y'all like Kentucky so far? It's a shame that you weren't here in May, the Kentucky Derby was running then and it's pretty big here."

Realizing that he was babbling, Naruto shut his mouth and looked up at Kisame, waiting for an answer. Silence stretched between them for a second before the man laughed. "I like him," he said, ruffling Naruto's hair.

Naruto batted his hand away with a huff and turned to Itachi. "See, he likes me, why can't you do the same?" He cocked his head. "Is it 'cause your mare likes me and did that...fleh...thing to me?"

"No," Itachi answered, looking away from the bright eyes.

"Aw, come on Itachi, I'm not gonna steal her away." He waved a hand. "You need to relax more often, take time to smell the roses. Of course, if you're doing dressage I guess its kinda hard to do that; but dressage is so boring."

Releasing what he had just said, Naruto instantly clapped a hand over his mouth, but the words had already left his mouth. His cheeks flushed in embarrassment, knowing that this was the second time he had insulted Itachi within a span of half an hour; if that.

"Sorry, I spoke without thinking. It's a bad habit." Naruto said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

Itachi straightened up, the almighty curved eyebrow returning. "Is that so?" He murmured, glancing to a wide-eyed Kisame.

Naruto chuckled weakly, drawing Susanoo out of her haynet. She looked at Naruto before smacking her bottom lip against her top, lipping, and batting the blond gently with her nose. Naruto automatically reached a hand up to stroke the fine hairs around her chin, smiling softly.

"I'll admit at an amateur level it can be boring, but I guess the complexities and beauty of an art such as dressage would be lost on you." Itachi paused, drawing back and his eyes glancing from his horse to Naruto quickly.

"Watch us later and maybe then you can understand what it really is that makes dressage. It's hard, a disciplinary action, so you may not get it. But you know Susanoo's character and you know mine. That should be enough, even for you."

As Naruto had done previously, something about the blond caused Itachi to slip in containing insults. He didn't dislike the man at all, but there was something about him that caused Itachi to cease in controlling what he said.

"Maybe I will." Naruto paused, smirking slightly. "Only if after you'll admit what it is about me that bugs you. Bet it's the fact Susanoo likes me."

Itachi shrugged, not bothering to answer that. It was a ridiculous statement. Not possibly true. Well, only a little bit.

"Oi, don't shrug it off." Naruto stomped his foot; he wanted an answer. Susanoo huffed in his ear, making him calm down and he turned to look back at Itachi, patiently waiting for answer.

When nothing was said, Naruto shrugged and patted Susanoo on the shoulder. He had his answer on the tip of his tongue but decided to stay silent this time. He wasn't sure how Itachi would take it and he didn't want to mess with Itachi's mind before he went out to compete. That was just cruel.

Instead, he moved away from mare, giving her one last pat on the shoulder. "Fine, no answer for now but I'll be back for one, and I will stay and watch you ride," he stated. A grin spread across his face as he swept out his arm in a wide arch and bowed at the waist. "Impress me, oh silent one."

He snorted to himself and stood back up, pivoting on his heel. Whistling aloud, he strode down the aisle, side stepping another blond haired male who was coming into the stable. He'd watch this dressage and see what was so great about it. Maybe Itachi would be able to change his mind about it.

If not, there was always the chance that he could have a chance to convince Itachi to watch some western. Naruto grinned at the thought. That would be one way to make the older male relax a bit more.

Naruto stopped outside Wichita's stall and looked over the gelding. The horse came up and butted his chest, sniffing over his shirt, which no doubt smelt like Susanoo. Ears swiveled back and forth and Naruto ran a hand down Wichita's face.

"How about you and me try to woo ourselves two pretty little thangs," he drawled, letting his accent twang a bit. He paused for a second, thinking over his words. "Well, one pretty mare for you and one handsome bastard for me."

Wichita snorted and pawed at his bedding, making Naruto smile. He patted the gelding on his neck and made his way out of the stables. The large Kentucky horse park sprawled before him and he brushed off the horsehair on his collared shirt before heading towards the show arena.

There would be some time before Itachi entered the arena, but it didn't mean Naruto couldn't get settled in nicely. It was the perk of attending an event and actually taking part; an all-access pass. Usually riders kept it only to spy on the competition, hardly venturing, in Naruto's case, to English-riding events.

He'd be happy to make an exception here, though.

  
**.**   


Itachi did a once over on the gleaming tack. The saddle was a dressage saddle, English-styled and a deep black in colour. The differences between a typical English saddle and a dressage saddle were subtle to anyone not understanding of tack, but blindingly obvious to anyone who did.

The saddle flap was long and straight, designed to fit and copy the desired leg of the rider. The seat was also deep and the knee block pronounced to enhance the saddle underneath the seated position. There was also the matter of longer girth straps and the shorter girth, designed so that all buckles would be removed from out under the rider's legs, allowing the leg to sit comfortably and neatly on top. The whole saddle sat on top of a white saddle pad, trimmed in black to stand out from Susanoo's grey colouring.

The saddle was perfect and Itachi's eyes raked over Susanoo to the bridle and reins. She was tacked up with a double bridle fitted to a cavesson noseband with a bradoon and a curb bit with a smooth curb chain and a plain, black browband.

The use of the double bridle was to show a high level of control over the horse. The positioning of the two bits, the bradoon lying higher than the curb, allowed the rider to maintain a lightness in contact, maintaining the image that the horse was mainly controlled from the seat as opposed to the hands.

The dual reins were a dark, inky black. The rein attached to the bradoon bit was wider than the other set of reins and slightly laced, for a better grip. This set of reins sat above the others.

Satisfied with the tack, Itachi patted Susanoo gently while Deidara huffed, holding her with gentle hands. For all his moaning, Itachi knew that Deidara loved his job.

Susanoo's mane was plaited traditionally on the right. White tape was braided into the plaits before they had been sewed up, holding their folded positions upright. It wasn't a regulation, unlike most things, but the manner of the course could be potentially challenging to bundles of plaits and it was better safer than sorry. Besides, the tape blended well with the colour of Susanoo's mane and forelock.

Itachi had been looking at the various competitors in the yard and had noticed several of the American riders trimming their horse's faces, muzzles, ears and legs. Itachi had no notions of doing that to Susanoo; it wasn't a custom for most yards in Europe and Susanoo looked better with the hair.

Unlike the mane, Susanoo's tail was left unplaited. It hung freely from her dock, cut across smoothly at the end, resting above her fetlocks and below her hocks.

Kisame stood holding a pot and a brush and waited for Itachi's nod. The rider nodded and Kisame moved forwards, uncapping the pot and dipping the brush inside. Hoof polish was applied before the horse entered, which, Itachi estimated, would be in about three minutes or so.

"She's started to foam," Deidara muttered, wrinkling his nose. Susanoo snorted and shook her head gently, saliva landing on Deidara's cheek.

"Leave it, there's not much point wiping it off," Itachi replied, knowing full well that it was sometimes considered that the foam was a sign of the horse's submission and acceptance of the bit. Also it could indicate that the bit was made from German silver and had no full acceptance, but Itachi was almost one hundred percent sure his bits weren't from German silver.

"Double check yourself," Kisame said as he made for his third hoof out of four. Itachi looked down; making sure his clothing was in regulation.

He had exchanged the dark jodhpurs for white full-seat breeches. The leather covering the inner thigh and buttocks allowed the wearer to sit a little more quietly in the horse's saddle, gripping a little more than simple material would. A belt secured the breeches at the top and a white shirt with a ratcatcher collar, stock tie and small pin covered Itachi's upper half, under the black shadbelly. A top hat sat proudly on his head.

His hands were covered with pristine, white gloves, while his feet and legs were covered in tall dress boots. Spurs were attached to the bottom of Itachi's boots. The last detail was Itachi's hair. Most people had criticized him for keeping his hair so long, but today it was neatly tucked away in a bun with a black hairnet to keep it in place.

Itachi nodded to Deidara and Kisame, silently thanking them. He lengthened the stirrup on the left side, placing his leg in the metal and preparing to mount. It took a moment to pull himself into the saddle, where Itachi then lengthened the stirrup on the other side.

"You all ready?"

Itachi could tell Kisame was nervous. Which he should understandably be, after all, it wasn't every day that you got to participate in an international competition. It would be Susanoo's first international as well. She had done trials in England and Itachi had full confidence in her, but it was still a little nerve wracking.

Itachi settled himself in the saddle, preparing for the first stage in the eventing competition. The dressage was always held first, followed the next day by cross-country and then, finally, the show jumping phase.

The course would only take around five minutes, but they were one of the make-or-break minutes of the competition, especially for a horse that hadn't competed this exact level before. Whatever Susanoo and Itachi did here, they would be compared to in the other events.

At the moment, the three men and Susanoo were in a small area just off the main arena. Around them, they could see other horses preparing for the dressage event as well as some other smaller competitions held in the smaller arenas. Someone was standing a little to the left of them, by the entrance to the arena, ready to signal when Susanoo should enter.

Itachi would enter the arena at the A marker, the opposing side (which would lie directly opposite A) would be the C marker. Between the two letters lay other invisible markers on a horizontal line, D, L, X, I and G. X marked the centre of the whole arena.

Around the edge of the arena would be markers for A, F, P, B, R, M, C, H, S, E, V and K, which would signal to the rider where they should start the next part of their course. It was a basic layout for any rider, but the amount of moves that had to be undertaken in that area needed rigorous and complex training.

The steward signalled that the judges were almost ready to receive Itachi and Susanoo and Itachi's team watched as the competitor before them exited at a walk, the rider patting the horse on the neck as their team rushed to congratulate a job completed. They would receive their marks later on, but the hardest part was over.

It was now Itachi's turn. Butterflies rose in his stomach and Itachi shifted in the saddle, causing Susanoo to dip her chin in slightly. Deidara let go of the reins and wished him luck as the steward signalled for Itachi to enter.

Gently nudging Susanoo with his heels, Itachi urged her into a collected canter. The beat was regular, three hooves at a time, and they passed the entrance and into the ring, finally halting three quarters into the arena. Around him, the crowd was silent, wanting to know what the tall grey thoroughbred and her rider would do in the next five minutes.

Itachi saluted to the panel of judges, asking Susanoo to progress to a trot, which she did willingly, her ears pricked and head curved slightly. As they reached the C marker, at the bottom of the arena, they tracked left, turning diagonally across the school when they approached the other corner, landing back on the track at F and smoothly changing the rein. As one, they smoothly moved to A in a collected trot, Susanoo's strides smaller and bouncier than the usual trot, where they turned down the centre line, much as they had at the beginning.

This time, however, Itachi initiated the shoulder-in, the next movement on the course. Susanoo's hind legs would continue to track straight along the centre like (leading from A to C), but her front legs would move laterally, the inside foreleg crossing in front of the outside foreleg and the outside hind hoof falling where the print for the outside foreleg lay. It was a complex move, with Susanoo bending slightly into Itachi, but they carried it perfectly and completed the movement, straightening up in the middle of the school at X.

From X to the right hand side's bottom corner - M - Itachi and Susanoo would perform a half-pass. This was a lateral movement that caused the horse to move forwards and sideways at the same time. The horse needed to be bent in the direction of travel, slightly curved around the rider's inside leg. It was the outside hind and forelegs that crossed over their corresponding inside legs, making sure that the horse remained forwards, balance and bent, with constant rhythm.

They met the track again and Itachi transitioned smoothly into a collected walk, Susanoo collecting her head nicely. At the C marker, Itachi asked her for a half-pirouette, asking the horse to make a 180 degree turn. The half-pirouette formed a half-circle with the front legs around a smaller semicircle from the hind legs. Susanoo now faced the way they had just come and was immediately began a collected trot.

Reaching the marker M, Itachi asked for his horse to cut diagonally across the school again, extending the trot so her legs stretched out further than before. They hit the track again at K, collecting the trot once more until they reached A, no more than 12 metres away or so.

They turned down the centre linen at A again, this time performing a shoulder-in to the right, finishing the movement in the centre of the school. Another half-pass was performed until they reached the bottom left corner, H, where Itachi collected Susanoo's trot once more, sitting deeply in the saddle.

They transitioned down into a walk at the C marker, maintaining the pace until M and then turning sharply across, facing the H marker. In the centre of the line they were now on (what would be marker G), Itachi halted Susanoo and applied leg, holding the reins so that she took five steps backwards, neatly and in a straight line. Immediately, as she placed her hoof on the ground after the fifth step, Itachi launched her into a medium walk, reaching the track at H.

Between H and the middle-side marker B, across the diagonal, Itachi asked for an extended walk. Like in the trot, her legs stretched out a little further. When they hit the track again at B, Itachi relaxed the walk, switching the pace from extended to a medium.

12 metres from the B marker lay the P marker, where Itachi asked Susanoo for a direct transition to canter. They performed a half-circle, crossing over to the other side of the school in a smooth canter line.

From the marker V, they performed a slightly odd diagonal, as if making for M. On this line they performed another half-pass, Itachi then collecting the canter when they reached the invisible I marker and heading for the bottom, C, where they turned right.

Cutting across the school in two elongated loops, serpentines, Itachi was able to perform a counter canter on their second loop, before meeting X. It meant that Susanoo's outside leg was the leading leg on their line. At X, however, Itachi asked her for a flying change and she made a skipping motion, changing legs so that the inside leg was leading the canter on their line. This was far more comfortable and Itachi was pleased with the smooth change.

Again, Itachi collected the canter until they hit the B marker, where they turned left, heading towards the C end of the schooling arena. 12 meters from B, they hit the marker R and turned across, heading towards the opposite S marker. Instead of shooting across, they performed their second half circle, 20m, and landed back on the track at S.

The end of the routine was nearing, with only a few more stages to go. Itachi sucked in a breath, attempting to calm his heart. Things had gone very well so far, but there was always something that could happen. It was best not to place your eggs all in one basket after all.

They performed another half-pass, smoothly cutting across the school until they hit L, on the centre line. Itachi collected the canter again until they reached the top of the arena, the A marker from where Susanoo had entered. They turned left and Itachi first extended the canter along the long right side and then collecting it again from M to C.

Another serpentine was performed, two loops with the second performed in counter-canter. Itachi asked for another flying change and Susanoo responded brightly, switching legs with a merry skip. Itachi collected the canter and headed for the E marker, tracking right before collecting the canter again to go around the short side of the school, at the bottom end.

From the M marker, Itachi turned Susanoo lightly onto the diagonal, preparing to ask for a flying change directly on the centre of the line. She skipped, changing legs, and they landed back on the track at E.

Now came a slightly tricky bend, the E to F diagonal. They turned a little too sharply, but Susanoo corrected herself and performed a flying change on the centre of the diagonal, as before. There were only two more steps and Itachi prepared to turn down the centre line at A.

They turned smoothly, maintaining their pace. 18 metres from the A marker, Itachi halted Susanoo abruptly, her hooves digging into the sand. Itachi saluted once more to the judges and the crowd clapped enthusiastically. Itachi lengthened his rein with a smile, gently patting Susanoo's neck and allowing her to walk freely.

They had completed their first stage of eventing. Itachi felt so happy. They hadn't been perfect, but they had done so well. Itachi couldn't remember being prouder now than ever of Susanoo and resolved to give her a Polo or two when they returned her to her stable.

They exited the arena, smiling to the dark brown horse and rider preparing to enter. Itachi met up with his team again and they looked up expectantly. The Uchiha dismounted smoothly, landing on the ground with a slight bend to his knees. Deidara took the reins, stroking Susanoo as he peered through his long hair, excited to hear how Itachi found it.

They had, of course, been watching - Deidara and Kisame - but they wanted to know how Itachi had found it. Itachi smiled back confidently.

"It went well," he said, "Susanoo did very well."

Deidara stroked the mottled hairs on Susanoo's nose and smiled at her. "Well done gorgeous," he gushed. It was not hidden fact that Deidara loved Susanoo. Well, any horse really. Out of all members of Itachi's team, Itachi could safely say that Deidara was the most 'lovey-dovey' member.

Kisame was the one who offered to cool Susanoo down, slipping a headcollar over her bridle and running her stirrups up to prevent them bashing her stomach as they walked off. Deidara hovered next to Itachi, a smile on his face.

"From what we saw, you did very well. She's a lovely horse."

Itachi nodded, "I was worried at first. Some of the moves had the potential to be difficult... but she handled them amazingly well. We won't have won, but I'm hoping we placed above halfway in the scores."

Deidara nodded, clapping Itachi on the shoulder. "Go get changed, I'll hang around the arena waiting to hear the scores."

Itachi smiled slightly, thanking Deidara. After all the excitement of being in the ring, Itachi needed a few quiet moments to himself. Susanoo was being cooled down, walked around to ease her muscles and Kisame would return her to her box soon, untacked. She'd have a drink and hay there before Itachi would unplait her mane properly.

As Itachi made his way back to the stables to change, he wondered if Naruto had seen the first stage of eventing. If so, what did he think? Itachi resolved to seek out the curious blond when he'd heard the results. Maybe then, he could convince Naruto to remain around for the next two days.

  
**.**  


Naruto drummed his fingers along his jean-clad leg. Itachi and his mare had already left the dressage arena and he was waiting impatiently for his score. Not that he knew anything about the judging procedures but to Naruto's eyes, the performance had looked flawless.

He'd give it a ten out of ten, although he was sure that the points weren't that easy to give out. He should have asked Itachi what the judges were looking for and how the points were given. Was it better to get a high score or a low one?

He shook his head and tried to focus on the next horse and rider that had entered the ring. The gelding wasn't as nice looking as Susanoo and therefore lost points in Naruto's mind but he tried hard not to compare the two.

Dressage was never something he paid attention to. In fact, most of the English riding sports barely caught his attention, unless it was jumping but even then. He was strictly a Western rider, finding that those who rode Western were much more laid back than those who rode the English saddle.

It was the biggest difference between the two saddles. One asked for relaxation in horse and rider while the other asked for engagement. However, they both looked towards perfection in their events, as any athlete would in a sport.

Regardless of his views though, he didn't disrespect the English saddle nor did he look down on those who rode it. Every aspect of horse competition and riding was hard, challenging, and took time and effort. There was a great connection between horse and rider, one that ran deep in order to compete.

Itachi and Susanoo had that deep connection and it showed beautifully in their riding. They moved together perfectly and Naruto could see that both rider and horse enjoyed what they were doing.

There were many parts that he didn't understand while he was watching them perform and he wished that someone had been there to explain the different parts. Maybe he could convince Itachi to come sit with him for the rest of the show and point out everything.

Standing up, he eased his way down the crowded seats and into the aisle. He was ready to find Itachi and see how he felt after his performance. He had to admit that it wasn't as boring as he first thought it would be and was pleasantly surprised that he had enjoyed it.

The way the horse moved so smoothly, seemingly without any guide from Itachi was amazing. The skill and command that it took to perform such an act went over Naruto's head and he couldn't even begin to fathom how long it took to reach that level.

His feet led him to the stables once more and he scanned the aisle for Susanoo and Itachi, wondering if they would be back yet. The stalls were quiet as most horses were outside getting ready to perform or cooling down.

Shoulders slumping, Naruto moved down the aisle. It seemed as though they weren't back yet and he would be forced to wait outside the stall until they returned. Naruto pouted at the thought and leaned against the wall, trying to find a comfortable position.

A door opened a little further down the yard, a more casually dressed Itachi stepping out from the storage room next to Susanoo's stable. He noticed Naruto lounging against the wall, next to Susanoo's stable door, but the blond hadn't caught sight of him yet.

Itachi wondered what Naruto had thought of the first stage of eventing. Dressage was a complex discipline, hounded from ancient times and preserved magnificently. There were dedicated schools in Italy and France who solely taught dressage, pushing their horses to the limits so that they could perform the respected airs above the ground, the capriole and the ballotade as two examples.

They trained for years and while Itachi would never undertake that training himself or for one of his horses, he could respect the history behind the discipline and so respect dressage.

Naruto, however, was unlikely to have watched a professional dressage course in his life. He had been born and bred Western rider, but he had taken time to watch Itachi and Susanoo. Curiosity was a wonderful thing at times and Itachi was thankful that Naruto had given it a try.

"How did you find it?" Itachi asked, stepping to stand beside Naruto. Naruto's eyes opened slowly, as he had closed them a few moments ago, and he turned to look at Itachi in slight surprise.

"It was... amazing," Naruto replied. Itachi smiled, opening his mouth to say something when he heard the approaching sound of familiar hoof beats.

"And here she is, the wonder horse herself." Naruto's face lit up at seeing Susanoo in her cooling rug, nostrils flaring as she caught wind of Naruto's scent. Her lip curled, causing the man holding her to chuckle.

"Looks like Susanoo has a new favourite," Kisame said, raising an eyebrow at Itachi. Itachi shrugged, moving aside to unlock the bolts on Susanoo's door.

"Hand her over and go check on Deidara would you?" Itachi asked, slipping his hands around Susanoo's leadrope, taking the task away from Kisame. He was changed into comfortable clothes now and could tend to his horse. Not everyone in this stage of competitions - that being the high-level competitive stages - would do such 'menial' tasks as untacking their horse, but Itachi wasn't a big believer in those things. Susanoo was his horse and so he'd take care of her, regardless to how high a level they were at.

Kisame slipped away, passing Naruto with a toothy grin. Itachi nodded his head to Naruto, gesturing for him to enter the large stable too; something the blond hesitated at for only a moment, before stepping into the cool, sweet-hay-smell stable.

"I'll take her tack off," Itachi said, securing the leadrope in his hands through a ring on the interior of the stable, making sure that Susanoo wouldn't walk off while they were sorting her out.

"We'll start with the rug and saddle," Itachi said, making sure that Naruto could see what he was doing.

In all truthfulness, Itachi wasn't sure why he'd invited Naruto in to see him untack his horse. Maybe it was because he'd actually watched their dressage event, maybe it was because he'd come back to talk to Itachi or maybe it was because he was genuinely interested in British riding styles. But Itachi was happy that Naruto was there with him. Something drew him to the blond man, something tiny, but there nonetheless. He was interesting, very much so.

"We need to unstrap the cooling rug at the front and round the belly." Itachi demonstrated, undoing the velcro straps and then unbuckling the others. "And then we fold the rug back to slide it off, over her rump."

Naruto's eyes were inquisitive as the red rug was folded in half, revealing the front half of Susanoo. Itachi then slid the remaining material over his horse's back, slipping it neatly off Susanoo, her tail neatly falling through the gap. It was simple, but no doubt taken a lot of practice to put on and take off.

"I'll hang this one in here at the back, with her other rugs." Itachi left Naruto for a moment, ducking under Susanoo's arched neck. She snorted, slightly impatient, but Itachi ignored her, folding the rug over the strip of thin rope at the back, with the other rugs that Susanoo may need.

"Now we'll be able to untack her properly. All we need to do is undo the girth here, and while you should technically go round to put it on top of the saddle and then come back, we'll just slide it off." Itachi's hands unbuckled the strap holding the saddle on, pulling at the pommel and cantel to slip the saddle from Susanoo sideways. The girth fell to the ground with a little clink of metal buckles, causing Susanoo's ears to swivel to the source of the noise.

Itachi moved past Naruto, smiling at his nod. Clearly, the untacking methods of Western styled riding were very much the same. Still, Itachi felt the need to tell Naruto, if only to talk to him. He placed the dark saddle (complete with saddle pad) on the stable door, flipping the girth strap onto the top of the saddle, over the seat.

"And now we move to the bridle. You need to undo the cheekpiece and noseband to take this off." Itachi's fingers moved to undo part of the headcollar, slipping the nose free and the larger band round Susanoo's neck. This would make sure she stayed still yet didn't get stuck with a mess of headcollar and bridle.

The leather was a little stiff and Itachi's fingers paled under pressure as he undid the buckles, but soon the bridle was pulled over Susanoo's grey ears and the bit released from her mouth. Itachi placed the bridle on his shoulder, collecting the reins up neatly, and released Susanoo from the red headcollar.

"There we go. And with any luck, Deidara will be back with the results soon. Not that many people were after us, only three or four." Itachi pushed the stable door open, waiting for Naruto to follow.

Naruto gave Susanoo one last pat on her neck before trotting after Itachi. It seemed as though Itachi was done competing for the day and would be free until tomorrow. He wondered if he could convince the man to come join him for lunch or something. Maybe then, Itachi could explain more about dressage.

He gnawed on his lower lip, wondering if he was getting in over his head. After all, they had just met and lived on different sides of the globe. Huffing lightly, Naruto shook his head. It didn't matter really; there was no way to say if Itachi even liked guys and if he was even looking for anyway. At best, they could still stay friends once they parted ways.

"So, what are you doing for the rest of the day after you get your results?" Naruto asked, drawing up beside Itachi.

Itachi glanced back at Naruto, pausing for a moment so that Naruto could draw up next to him. He knew nothing about Naruto, not really, but part of his mind was screaming at him to get to know him.

It wouldn't be hard; after all, they had common ground in horses and so much to learn from each other. It would be exciting, and even if nothing ended up happening, there was still a chance to make a new friend.

"That depends on the results. If they're good then I'll take Kisame and Deidara out for a late lunch, if they're bad then we'll end up moping around, maybe watching some other events." Itachi smiled slightly and Naruto could sense he was nervous. Which made perfect sense, this was a worldwide event and even competing in this would be nerve wracking. Naruto understood, having been in his own classes, but even for someone outside the British riding ring, it was evident that this was an important event.

"You're welcome to join us, of course, regardless of what we end up doing. I'll also have to talk to some other riders and look at the course for tomorrow." Itachi paused, a considering look on his face. "Tomorrow is the cross country part of the event."

Naruto smiled, nodding his thanks for the clarification. The cross country would test agility and endurance, forcing the horse into travelling a long course and combating many obstacles in the forms of jumps. Though Naruto had never watched a proper course before, he had seen a few snippets of the second stage of eventing. Naruto wondered what Susanoo would look like jumping.

"Naruto, forgive me if this is slightly presumptuous of me, but would you stay on to watch the remainder of the three day eventing?" Itachi's eyes were open and honest, his voice calm and unwavering. He had just asked a practical stranger to stay on as a guest and said guest was seriously considering it.

"I would love to but my own horse-" Naruto was interrupted.

"I can pay for extended boarding here, just for a few more days. In fact, I can file your horse under Susanoo's entry as a companion to keep her company. My sponsors can pay for your board here then, as they are with Susanoo." Itachi quirked an eyebrow.

While Naruto didn't feel bad about wanting to stay, he did feel bad about taking Itachi's money. Itachi had presented it in a way that explained he'd be taking the sponsor's money, however, which wasn't as bad. And Naruto really did want to stay to watch the rest, and then perhaps convince Itachi to let go of posture and holding his horse in mouth to try western, (and no it wasn't just a ploy to see Itachi in leather chaps at all).

"At least let me pay for something," Naruto stated. He didn't want to sound greedy by letting Itachi take care of everything. He did have some money that he could pitch in at least. There was a brief hesitation before he plowed forward. "Maybe lunch, or dinner...something?"

Naruto clamped his mouth shut as Itachi's lips twitched into a small smile. He knew he had been babbling but he was slightly nervous and asking to pay for lunch almost made it seem like a date. Not that it would be, but he could at least think it was in his mind.

They paused at the exit of the barn and Naruto shifted on his feet, wondering what was going through Itachi's mind. He glanced into the dark eyes, trying hard to keep the heat from creeping up his face.

"I mean, I want to stay and watch, but I don't want to be a free-loader or anything. And, and, if I pay for meals, then you can explain about dressage and jumping to me." Naruto paused and scratched his neck. "If you want, that is."

Silence settled over them and Naruto watched as Itachi cocked his head to the side slightly. He hoped that the man wasn't reconsidering his offer.

"We'll at least have to eat lunch with Kisame and Deidara, and I'll be busy for the next few days while all of this is going on..." Itachi could see Naruto deflate, obviously taking his words as a negative response. "But I would love for a dinner once this is over."

Itachi watched as Naruto's head snapped up, his eyes wide and unguarded. Itachi couldn't remember the last time he had seen someone so honest, open and trusting and, in all truthfulness, it made him uncomfortable.

No one should be able to wear their emotions on their sleeve as much as Naruto did, but the blond did it in such a beautiful way. Itachi felt that he could trust this stranger, something that wasn't to be said lightly. It had taken Itachi weeks to trust Kisame and even longer to trust Deidara, and they were two of his closest friends.

"Okay then," Naruto said, setting his mouth in a determined smile. "I'll arrange something for us."

Itachi smiled to himself, leading them over to where Deidara and Kisame were, at the tent where the results would be announced. With any luck, by now, the scores would be revealed and Itachi could move on for the cross-country. Tonight he'd take Susanoo to one of the practice arenas and ride with some of the other competitors, testing out a few jumps that had been set up, in preparation for the cross-country and show jumping events.

Maybe Naruto would watch and then... Itachi stopped himself. Why would Naruto even be interested in spending a whole day with him? He'd practically forced the man to watch dressage and now captured him in to watch the other eventing stages.

Surely if Naruto didn't want to be there, though, he'd say something?

Itachi hoped so, but he couldn't quite say. He didn't know Naruto well enough, though that would be his next goal after doing well in this eventing competition.

"Ah there you are Itachi!" Deidara's voice pierced through the crowd they had stepped into, a smile on his face. His arms flapped wildly as he continued to talk, though the rest of the words were drowned out by nameless people around them.

"Slow down Deidara, Itachi probably doesn't understand a word," Kisame interjected, shooting a grin at Naruto and Itachi.

"Well, you have the usual contenders placing at the top, but for a rookie in this competition, you've done well. You've placed at the high end of mid-range I think, well above all the other rookies. Susanoo seems to have attracted a lot of good attention and they were impressed with how well she carried herself and how well you showed control." Deidara paused for air, rolling his eyes at the simple need to breathe.

"And then I overheard some people tipping you off for being a strong contender to move into the upper score ranges if you handled the cross country well. Doubtful that we'll take the red ribbon, but who knows? When it boils down to it, anything can happen!" Deidara smiled as he finished, rocking back on his heels for a moment before peering at Naruto.

Wide blue eyes blinked back at Deidara, wondering what the hell the man was talking about. He wasn't sure about dressage scores and what everything meant. Obviously, it was a good thing that everyone liked Susanoo and Itachi showed control, but everything else had just flown over his head.

He shuffled on unsure feet, not quite certain what it all meant for him as well. He was an outsider to all this and he felt out of the loop, for lack of better words. Glancing back at Itachi, he rubbed the back of his neck.

"So, no dinner for a while I'm guessing?"

Itachi turned to Naruto, his mouth open a little. "No..." he paused. "But would you join us for lunch? I can explain a little on the scoring and talk a little more about ourselves."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and Itachi suddenly wondered if he'd been too forward. "I mean how you came to ride Western and what it's like."

Naruto's eyes seemed to light up as Itachi finished and his heartbeat slowed a little, knowing that he had Naruto's company for a little while longer. They got on well with each other, something that Itachi had never really experienced. He's assumed that all the stories where people say they met someone (friend, family member, lover) and just clicked had to be lies... yet somehow he seemed to 'click' with Naruto.

"Okay then," Naruto said, smiling brightly.

Out of the corner of his eye, Itachi saw Kisame nudge Deidara. He made sure his friends noticed the unhappy-Uchiha-glare and they quieted a little, breathing in and exhaling sharply. It wasn't that Itachi was a nasty person, but even to his friends he could install fear in their hearts. He was the kind of man you would follow with loyalty, but turn on the wrong side and you would feel wrath of unimaginable proportions.

"I know a good little restaurant close by. Kisame and I can look after Susanoo and move your horse, Naruto," Deidara said, smiling as if he was a cat that had just devoured the canary.

Naruto silently looked the man over; trying to decide if could trust his horse with Deidara. He rode with Itachi and took care of Susanoo, so Wichita would be in safe hands but he was still cautious. Wichita was his love and he refused to let any harm come to him.

He crooked his finger, waving Deidara closer and waited until the man was close enough to grab. His hand wrapped Deidara's shirt collar and he brought his mouth to the blond's ear. "I run my own ranch back home and castrate the calves myself. If you harm my horse in anyway..." He pulled back and patted Deidara's cheek, which had paled.

With a wide grin, he released his hold on the shirt and steeped back. "Lunch sounds good. You can explain the finer details of dressage to me."

Naruto could feel the curious gaze of Itachi resting on him, no doubt trying to figure out what he had said to Deidara. A slender eyebrow arched at him and Naruto chuckled lightly, knowing that Itachi would do threaten the same thing if he were in his shoes.

For one, Itachi was impressed. Not often did Deidara balk in such fashion, and even less often to a single sentence. Whoever Naruto was, he was surely a very powerful man, whether he realized it or not. A thought suddenly hit Itachi.

"Where is your team, Naruto?"

Naruto turned to him face open to the question. He gave a lop-sided smile and rubbed the nape of his neck. "I sent them home earlier. They all know how much time I like to spend wandering around and our stable was still paid for the day. I said I'd just have a look around while I could and that they might as well head home."

Itachi nodded, it wasn't that uncommon for teams to leave the main rider, but it was a rare enough occasion to be considered a little odd. Usually the team would stay with the rider, only having come in one horsebox, but maybe Naruto had ridden with someone.

"Did you enter alone?" Itachi couldn't help but question.

"No," Naruto replied, looking away from the group. "A friend of mine also rode, but he went home as well." Again, he paused, "Just as well, otherwise I wouldn't have met you guys, and he's a moody bastard who wouldn't have wanted to be sociable."

Itachi nodded slowly, wondering what it would be like to simply wander around alone. Kisame and Deidara would never leave him unless under extreme orders from him, and usually even then they'd still keep him company. Itachi himself didn't know what to do with so much free time, which was why he ran a stud back at his home, part of a project for his sponsors.

"If we move away from the showgrounds, there's this nice little restaurant. It's full of riders and teams so there's no need to change clothes or anything," Itachi paused, scanning Naruto and realizing he wasn't in riding clothing. "Well, for me anyway." He smiled as Naruto chuckled.

"That sounds good then. We can take my truck if you want." Naruto said, pulling out his keys and letting them hang from his fingers. If Deidara and Kisame were going to be following later, then it would give him time alone with Itachi.

Itachi nodded and with a quick dip of his head to his companions, followed Naruto out of the barn. The grounds were slowly clearing out as the day moved on and the events dwindled down, making it easier to find his truck in the fields.

Spotting the blue Chevy, he unlocked the door and gestured for Itachi to climb in. The windows had been cracked, making the inside smell like hay and leather. It didn't help that Naruto had extra saddle pads in the back seat.

"Sorry about the mess." Naruto grunted as he moved aside some skid boots. His team had taken back most of his tack already, leaving behind everything he would need, but Naruto still liked to keep extra pieces ready and available.

With a sheepish grin, Naruto started the truck, once again apologizing for the mess. He had been expecting to drive home tonight, alone with the exception of Wichita. Now though, he would have to shuffle things around when he got back to the grounds, he didn't want Itachi to think he was always a slob.

"Where is this place?" Naruto asked as he pulled out of the showgrounds.

Itachi's eyes flickered to Naruto's profile, a small mile gracing his lips. It was amazing how trusting and carefree Naruto appeared to be, and yet there was a calmness and self-assuredness underneath that made Naruto automatically a friend.

"Take the first left you come to and then it's a short way down that road." Naruto nodded to Itachi's instructions and turned his head, indicating as he did so. The click-click of the indicator was familiar to Itachi and he realized he hadn't driven in weeks, Kisame and Deidara had been doing all the driving since they had arrived in Kentucky.

"Shall I pull in here? Or is it the next entrance?"

They had arrived down a quiet road, off the main larger roads and away from the bulk of traffic. Around the area was a blanket of trees, huddling around the restaurant and shielding the picnic benches that sat outside away from traffic. It was a homely restaurant and Itachi and his team had made fast acquaintances with the owners.

"Just this one, the parking area's at the back of the restaurant."

Naruto nodded again, pulling the car into the entrance and following the curve of the road, entering the parking area. For a seemingly small and quiet restaurant, it was quite full. They parked and Itachi smiled at Naruto.

"You ready?" Itachi waited for Naruto's nod before unlatching his door and stepping out into the warm air. A breeze was passing through so it wasn't unbearable, but it was warmer than a typical summer's day in England.

They walked together, passing round the garden and to the entrance. The door was open and a waitress sitting at a small desk, clearly assigned to watch for new patrons. A smile plastered on her face as soon as her eyes lit upon Itachi and she stood eagerly.

"Itachi!" She greeted enthusiastically, causing both men to raise their eyebrows. She turned her attention to Naruto then and her smile widened even more. "And who is your friend?"

Itachi fought the urge to wince. "This is Naruto, Naruto this is Morgan."

The waitress clapped her hands before grabbing two menus and marching off, waggling her hips dramatically and peering back.

"This way boys!" she called, to which Itachi winced. He was almost definitely older than her.

Naruto couldn't help but laugh at Morgan's actions. He took a second to turn around and compose himself so the female didn't think he was laughing at her. Because really, he wasn't, he was laughing at a thought she had spurred.

Finally, his laughter subsided and he trotted after Itachi with a large grin on his face. They slid into a booth that Naruto assumed Itachi sat at often with his team and picked up the menu that rested before them. He held it up, snickering behind it as Morgan told Itachi the daily specials before she turned to him.

"Can I get you anything to drink, hun?"

Naruto looked up and smiled at Morgan, trying to be polite. "Is there anything you would recommend?"

"We've got the best Earl Grey this side of world. Not up to par with the original in Britain, but we try our best."

Cocking his head to the side, Naruto furrowed his eyebrows. "Earl Grey? What exactly is that?" Naruto suppressed a shiver; whatever it was, it didn't sound pleasant at all. In his mind, he saw a thick gray drink that was probably like syrup going down his throat.

Itachi hid a smile at Naruto's expression. There was something wrong with America in general and the lack of overall tea consumption. Back home, the first thing anyone did when you entered the house would be to ask if the guest wanted tea. If they didn't want tea then that was fine, but it was the sheer principle.

While the Earl Grey tea here was little more than watered down piss and a far cry from the light, bergamot infused brew he had at home, it would do much more nicely than the sluggish coffee the whole nation appeared to be enamoured with. Tea was a drink of gods, you couldn't deny that.

Naruto's look of horror slipped into a deeper one as Itachi casually ordered the Earl Grey, asking for a few moments to order food. Morgan nodded with a bright smile, sauntering off presumably to the kitchens.

Itachi waited calmly for a moment before looking in Naruto's direction. He could practically feel the nervousness radiating from Naruto and smiled in an attempt to calm whatever terror the tea-virgin was feeling.

"It's a very light blend, perfect if you've never had tea before." Naruto's eyes widened.

"You can tell I've never had tea?" Naruto's voice was slightly incredulous, to Itachi's amusement.

"It's the look on your face. You look as if Earl Grey is the devil incarnate, but it's really not. It has a strange taste to it, which is somewhat of an acquired one, but I'm sure you'll like it. It's the nicest selection of tea here, the others aren't as nice." Itachi paused, eyes flickering to the kitchen. His tea was very important and while the serving was out of his hands, Itachi wanted reassurance it was very closely on its way.

"But... it's..." Naruto managed to speak only in stutters. Itachi drew his attention back to the table, smiling slightly.

"All you have to do is try it. If you do that then I won't have to bother you at all about it again."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "You make it sound even worse."

Itachi chuckled lightly, catching Morgan moving through the restaurant with a platter in her hands. Itachi could almost smell the aroma of the tea through the restaurant and he sat forwards, patient to the max.

"Here y'all go," Morgan said, setting down two teacups on saucers, complete with teaspoons and a large pot of tea. Already on the table was sugar and sweeteners and Morgan completed the set by setting down a jug of milk on the table.

Daintily, Itachi thanked Morgan and moved the teapot round, taking the handle with one hand and cupping the spout with the other. Tea spilt from the opening into Naruto's teacup first before moving the teapot to his own cup, filling it to around three quarters-full; steam blossoming from the deep brown liquid.

Itachi could see Naruto sniffing the air slightly as he moved the milk to the middle and the sugar bowl to join it.

"If you would prefer to add your own milk or shall I do it for you?"

Naruto crumpled his nose and shook his head. Itachi smiled and nodded in understanding. Competing abroad had opened his eyes to the fact that many people didn't drink that much tea and even more people didn't quite understand the logistics behind brewing and serving. Of course, Itachi would have been more comfortable with his own teapot, tealeaves and a strainer, but this was America and they seemed to be quite backwards in tea preparation.

"I'll leave it for you to decide whether to add sugar or not, but try it without first."

As the milk added to the brown tea, the colour intensity changed to a slightly creamy brown, a tinge of grey (almost non-existent) in the mix. Itachi pushed the saucer slowly to Naruto and raised an eyebrow.

Swallowing heavily, Naruto's fingers curled around the small cup and he brought it to his lips. Steam rose and curled around his nose, making Naruto lower the cup slightly. He didn't want to burn his tongue and he blew on it lightly, all too aware that Itachi was watching him.

Finally deciding that the liquid was much cooler, he brought the cup to his lips again and tilted it up. The hot liquid rolled over his tongue and down his throat, making him cough lightly. It wasn't an unpleasant taste but one that he wasn't used to.

He licked his lips again. Still, it wasn't horrible. He took a cautious sip again, making sure that he was prepared for the hot tea this time. After taking another small drink, he set the cup down and grinned. "Not too bad."

Itachi grimaced as he set his own cup down and Naruto cocked his head at the action. Had he done something wrong when he had been drinking the tea? Maybe he wasn't supposed to drink it that hot or he waited too long to drink it.

Before he could ask what he had done wrong, Morgan appeared at the edge of their table once again. "Okay boys, what'll y'all have?"

Naruto blinked and quickly grabbed the menu as Itachi started ordering. His eyes scanned the menu and finally settled on a simple, light sandwich. Once Morgan had vanished into the kitchens again, Naruto squirmed in his seat.

"Did I drink it wrong?" he blurted out loudly. Several of the people in the dinner turned around to look at him and a tinge of red crept up Naruto's neck, but he simply grinned at them. He turned back to Itachi. "The tea I mean."

Itachi fought down his amusement. Naruto was simply adorable.

"It's nothing to do with you," Itachi smiled, placing his cup to the side for a moment and reaching for the sugar pot. Wherever he went in America, the tea was either too bitter or lacking in taste. Fortunately, as Morgan had said, this restaurant's tea wasn't too bad and was a little bitter.

"Unfortunately my overseas cousins haven't quite mastered the art there is to tea making." Naruto cocked his head like that and Itachi sighed.

Why was it than no one ever quite got the importance of tea unless they were English? It was somewhat of a national obsession and yet everywhere else just deemed it as madness. Itachi didn't usually like to harp on about tea to people from other countries, but Naruto was, yet again, an exception.

Naruto chuckled as he watched Itachi scrutinize the tea before him before some sugar was stirred into the liquid. He hadn't seen someone act this way towards tea since two years ago when he first met his riding partner.

"You remind me of someone," Naruto said, grabbing a straw and pulling the cover off it. He twirled the paper around his fingers as he thought about said male. "We met at a competition; the guy was such a bastard too. He had switched from English to Western riding and was riding for the first time in a show."

Naruto looked up again and met Itachi's eyes. He grinned widely. "He had great talent, the way he carried himself on the horse and all that; very proper. But it's not the Western way of riding and he didn't score too well." He flicked the paper away. "Now he rides with me and I've been helping him when he needs it. Whoever had helped him before when he rode English was a good teacher."

His fingers grabbed the cup again and he took a large gulp of tea. He gagged at taste of the now cold tea and shuddered lightly. Clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, Naruto reached for the glass of water and swallowed a mouthful.

"Heh, that's what I get for talking too much." Naruto said with a small laugh.

Itachi smiled, understanding the impending time it took to drink tea. It was a delicate balance, but seasoned tea drinkers could usually tell when the beverage had become cold. It was never nice to think you had a lovely cup of tea waiting only to take a mouthful and discover is had grown stone cold.

"I know a few people who have converted from Western to British riding and vice versa. I've heard it's easier to go from British to Western than the other way." Itachi could see Morgan approaching with their sandwiches.

"I heard that too, though I've never really thought about it before I guess," Naruto said, dipping his straw in his water and letting it bob up and down.

"A... relative of mine switched over to Western riding a while ago. We both learnt from our uncle, but we began riding together and I ended up teaching him more than Madara, our uncle, did." Itachi trailed off. He'd never really discussed Sasuke with anyone. It had hurt a bit when Sasuke had said he was going to quit British riding and go to Western.

Itachi didn't mean to goad Sasuke into competing, but his brother had always seen Itachi as an obstacle to overcome. Itachi missed riding with his brother, who had taken off a while ago, stating that he'd learn 'on a ranch or something' and come back with amazing awards, something to prove to their uncle and their father that he was better than Itachi.

Maybe Sasuke would grow up while he was on his own.

  
**.**  


Naruto stayed silent as the plates of food were set on the table. He nodded to Morgan who smiled at them before taking her leave. Once she was gone, Naruto's fingers toyed with the small frills on the toothpick.

The quiet tone that Itachi had used made him wonder what had happened in the man's past. He hoped that no one close to him had died right before the competition. It'd be hard to compete with a close friend or family not there to support you.

He bit into the sandwich as a way to help close the subject. It wasn't his place to apologize for whatever had happened in Itachi's past. Especially if nothing really horrible had happened. He considered it rude to poke into someone's past and figured that if Itachi wanted to tell him, he would.

For now, it would be best just to enjoy lunch before they headed back to the barn. Hopefully he would be able to watch Itachi prepare for the next day's events. If he was correct, it had something to do with jumping, although that was being vague.

"What do you have tomorrow?" Naruto asked after swallowing a piece of bread. He was curious and wanted to know more.

Itachi blinked, looking down and picking up his sandwich. He had drifted away for a moment and now felt regretful for how rude he had been to Naruto. Though, when he looked up, Naruto wa happily munching away and seemed unaffected by the silence.

"Tomorrow's the cross country. I'll skip the boring details about how it used to be different, but nowadays it's a series of jumps over a long, outdoors course. It's an endurance test, and also one of bravery, really," Itachi said, mulling over the words while he poured another cup of tea. The teapot was better at keeping things warmer than the teacups were. "As the horse has to be brave enough to encounter very odd looking objects. There's a course back home - England - that has a ridiculously steep drop. Quite a few horses and riders have hurt themselves, but they know the risks."

Naruto looked horrified for a moment and Itachi waited for the inevitable 'but that's cruel!'. Itachi would merely point out that many people who stuck to British riding considered Western to be a little cruel on the animals, in particular when you thought of rodeo. Not that Itachi knew a lot about Western riding, but to an outsider, both disciplines seemed cruel in many different aspects.

"How exactly is it different from normal jumping?" Naruto had surprised him yet again, with a question he had never had before.

"Well the show jumping is more about judging the finesse of the jump and the form of the horse and rider. The cross country is a test of bravery, endurance, fitness and trust between rider and horse. At the level we're at, the FEI, Susanoo would have to be at full gallop for pretty much all of the course excepting the jumps where we'd collect ourselves a little more." Itachi took a sip of his tea.

"It's hard to explain to someone who may never have seen it before, but it's fun to ride and always exciting."

Naruto looked sheepish. "Heh, well that would be me. I've never seen cross country before. Maybe once really quick on TV, but I didn't stick around to watch it. I just remember seeing a horse going over a large log and then I left. No offense or anything." He grabbed his water and took a drink. "But I'll admit, I have been curious."

It wasn't a lie either, in a twisted way to get closer to Itachi. Naruto had always been curious about the other side of riding. The dull perfection bored him to tears, but there was always something about jumping that had drawn him in. That and the galloping that Itachi had mentioned.

Naruto loved the feeling of galloping; nothing could compare to a long gallop across an empty field. He could only imagine what that would be like when you added difficult jumps into the equation.

He twirled the straw around in his cup. "Are you going to take Susanoo out tonight for any practice jumps or will she stay in and rest?"

Itachi bit into his sandwich again, shaking his head. "I won't be jumping her tonight. I'll be exercising her in one of the training rings and then taking her for a swim in the horse's pool. I made sure Kisame booked it as soon as we got here so that Susanoo was guarenteed time to prepare."

Naruto looked slightly quizzical, but mainly curious and Itachi hastened to explain. "The swim allows muscle and tissue to tone up without putting pressure onto the bones. It's a great way to help train for cross country."

The blond smiled and nodded. It wasn't unheard of to take horses swimming but Naruto had never thought of it as just a training method. Though to complete a course (which had to be well over ten minutes at least) at a constant gallop with jumps thrown in must cause the horse to be very well trained and conditioned for the event.

"I'm going to take a look at the course tonight, you're welcome to join me. I'll exercise Susanoo first and then let her rest for the night and take a walk around the course." Itachi dabbed at the corner of his mouth with a napkin, eyeing Naruto in question.

"That would be awesome!" Naruto said excitedly. He had never set foot on a jumping course before and the thought at being able to see the large jumps that Itachi would be going over tomorrow was exciting. He wasn't sure what they'd be looking for on the course but it would still be fun to follow and learn something new.

He glanced back behind him, searching the restaurant for either Kisame or Deidara, but none of Itachi's teammates had arrived yet. He felt bad for making them stay to take care of the two horses while they were here eating lunch and just talking. Especially if Itachi needed to talk to them about the jumping tomorrow.

Naruto would feel horrible if Itachi didn't get the chance to meet with his team because of his horse. If Wichita was acting up, then it could explain why they were late. He turned back to Itachi and pushed the slice of pickle around on his plate.

"Are Kisame and Deidara going to be joining us for lunch at all?"

Itachi wasn't sure how to respond. Kisame and Deidara had constantly been bothering Itachi that he needed to meet new people and go out more (and, more importantly, get laid or find someone he would eventually get laid from), and this was just the perfect opportunity for the pair of them to 'work their magic'. If Naruto wasn't such a lovely person and generally nice to be with, Itachi would find this lunch very annoying and constantly be checking the time.

As it was, maybe the two members of his team would be let off the hook this time.

"I doubt it. They've probably just got lunch from one of the stalls at the arena, or maybe stopped in at the restaurants there. Hardly haute-cuisine, but good enough to settle grumbling tummies."

Naruto chuckled at that and Itachi smiled in return. It was a nice, light hearted lunch. While Itachi could hope it might end in more, he was content at the moment. Naruto was genuinely a nice person and had a beautiful smile.

"I owe you an explanation of the dressage scoring." They were both done with their sandwiches now and Morgan passed them, arms laden with trays, and nodded in acknowledgement. The restaurant was beginning to heat up now that most events had finished for the day.

Naruto nodded, pushing his plate into the middle a little bit.

"Each of the movements is scored out of ten. At the end the judging panel convert this into a percentage figure, which is then given out as the score. Susanoo and I managed to get a score of around 80, which is an excellent score. Though at this level, everyone's excellent and we're not near the highest." Itachi stretched out his arms above his head.

"Still, not bad for a rookie and his 9 year old horse eh?"

Blue eyes blinked. "No, not bad at all. That's actually really good." He leaned forward over the table and playfully poked Itachi in the chest. "You didn't look like a rookie out there to me. How long have you been riding?"

"All my life, but I started taking lessons at four," Itachi answered.

"What was it like? I mean, four's pretty young." Four was young. At four Naruto didn't think he could even run in a straight line, let alone steer a horse in one.

"I guess," Itachi said, shrugging his shoulders a little. "My family runs a breeding stud on the side of the main business and so riding is an essential part of my life really. I think I was on a horse before I could sit up by myself."

That much was true. There were pictures of his mother sitting side-saddle and cradling him with someone holding the horse still.

"What was the first horse you rode?" Naruto's eyes were curious again and Itachi decided to indulge him.

"A stroppy Shetland pony called Dolly." Itachi cast his mind back, "She was a dumpy little thing, round belly, stubby legs and an attitude to match all other breeds."

Naruto's eyes crinkled in a smile.

"I remember this one time, when I was about five I think, my instructor let go of the reins to see how I could cope with walking for a few steps and Dolly sensed the freedom. Took off out of the school, me clinging on for dear life, managed to push the door to the arena open enough and started back to her stable." Itachi looked down, a wide smile on his face. "I, of course, ended up pitching over the side of the saddle and straight into a patch of stinging nettles. Stung the whole of my arm, from wrist to shoulder."

Naruto winced at that, imagining how painful for a little kid that would have been.

"I can look back at it now with a smile, but then I was ready to curse Dolly and her escape attempts." Itachi paused, "But I got back up on the saddle, bawling my eyes out and determined to make the little pony accept me as her rider."

Itachi watched as Naruto leant forwards, elbows resting on the table. "And did she?"

Itachi shook his head. "I outgrew her before we were able to work very well with each other, but I visited her often until she died. She was a good pony, too good."

A brief silence stretched for a moment as they paid respect to a little Shetland pony. It may be considered a silly thing to do for most people, but to respect a horse - and a good one at that - was a noble thing to do. It was polite and just to the horse who had carried you on its back and simply proper to remember the bond shared with the animal.

"So when you outgrew Dolly, what happened then?"

Itachi nodded, "I changed stables. You see while my family own a stud, we don't ride those horses. We live in the countryside though and the stable where I learnt on Dolly was down the lane from another stable, where I'd continue riding. I joined group lessons there, which was exciting and fun.

"You don't tend to remember the fun times as much as things that stand out, do you? I remember there was this one horse stabled there temporarily and it was... crazy. No one could ride it and a lot of people had been thrown off of it and broken bones. Beautiful horse, terrible temperament. Anyway," Itachi continued, "I was on a hack outside with some friends in the woods and the crazy horse was ahead, rearing up. Our ponies all bolted back the way they'd come, only I became dislodged in the process."

Naruto nodded eagerly, waiting for Itachi to continue. The elder man looked down at his tea and noticed it had grown cold.

"It would have been fine if I'd fallen, but my foot got caught in th stirrup and I was dragged along the ground while my pony tried to get away. I have a few scars on the back of my shoulder where gravel got stuck, but I couldn't let it stop me could I?"

Naruto shook his head.

"The first horse I owned was an ex-racehorse. Beautiful chestnut coat, gorgeous temperament, a joy to ride... he connected with me in ways a horse never had before then. I really learnt to ride on Bow, from jumping to dressage. It killed me to retire him, but he'd done his time." Itachi stopped for a moment, thinking of the long legged horse that had first stolen his heart. "I had him moved to the stud and was able to breed from him."

Itachi smiled. "My uncle, who ran the stud, became rather annoyed at me when I refused a long line of broodmares. I wouldn't let Bow sire any foal now, he deserved much more than that. Eventually I found a suitable mare, Thoroughbred as he was, and their foal became the first horse I raised from a foal."

Naruto could see the fondness in Itachi's eyes and felt his heart reach out to him. He remembered Wichita as a foal and had known from his birth that he would love his horse forever.

"Susanoo is descendant from that mare. I believe she's a granddaughter, or possibly great-granddaughter." Itachi smiled, "I like to raise my horses and train them myself. I do train other horses, but mine... well they'll always have a special place in my heart."

Itachi turned to Naruto. "How about you?"

Naruto glanced up in thought, trying to remember the years back when he was a child. It seemed like forever, but like Itachi, he could still recall his first horse.

"The first time I rode a horse was when I was seven. We were on a road trip, visiting friends and family that summer. We stopped at a cousin's place and they had some horses. The put a small Western saddle on a little bay horse and we went riding in the corn fields. For the first part of the ride, my dad rode behind me and then let me ride by myself."

He paused and leaned back, picking a small crumb off his jeans. "When we finished, they let me sit bareback on a taller chestnut and all I wanted to do was pet his coat." Naruto grinned and rubbed the back of his head. "I had always liked horses before that, but after that first ride, I fell in love with them."

Itachi chuckled and waved down Morgan for some more tea. It reminded Naruto that he was low on water and asked for another glass himself. Sucking up the last part of his drink, he pushed the glass away and looked back at Itachi.

"I started taking lessons after that, starting with the basics and moving up from there. I stayed at the barn as much as I could, learning how to take care of the horses, training them, and everything else in between.

"When I was in middle school, my parents took me to buy my first horse. She was a stocky little Quarter Horse, not too old but not too green. We competed together and I was able to understand the joys of owning your own horse.

Naruto stopped to take a sip of his water that had been set before him and worked to collect his thoughts once more. The restaurant was slowly thinning out from the lunch rush as many of the riders headed back to hotels or the grounds.

"My first year of high school she gave me Wichita and I never looked back. Raising horses and owning them was what I wanted to do with my life and they both showed that to me. They trained me as much as I trained them and I could never thank them enough for it. I was crying like a baby when they put her in the ground, but I still see her every time I look at Wichita."

He sighed and glanced out the window, remembering the past. Wichita wasn't the perfect horse, he had his flaws and little quirks, but to Naruto, he was close enough to perfect. Wichita was the first horse he owned and raised by himself, using nothing but his own knowledge and a little help from others. It was something that he would never change or take back for the world.

Itachi smiled softly, understanding exactly what Naruto meant. It didn't make them any less of people to cry over their horses' graves. In fact, many said that if you couldn't cry for the loss of a good horse, then you weren't worthy of respect. Horses were valued highly in many cultures and the network of respect, love and trust running through the community that formed around the creatures was simply astounding.

"We should probably be heading back," Itachi said quietly, not wanting to break the soft dip in the conversation. He'd never felt this relaxed with someone he had met recently, but Itachi liked it. Naruto was different, but this different was good.

"They should have opened the course by now and we can probably get a good look around the cross country course now." Itachi paused, "If, that is, you would still like to join me." He didn't want Naruto to feel pressurised even though the blond had assured him it was what he wanted to do.

Grinning, Naruto nodded and pulled out his wallet. "Yeah, of course I want to go. Just let me pay and then we can go." His eyes shined with laughter. "You'll have to explain some things for me though and if I get too annoying, feel free to smack me upside the head. I'll shut up after that I promise."

Itachi's mouth opened to protest at Naruto's suggestion to pay, his own hand reaching for his wallet. He paused as Naruto shot him a look, blue eyes narrowing as the bills were held loosely in his hand.

"Don't do it," Naruto warned, watching as Itachi's eyes darted down to the money in his hand, then back up to his face. For a second, they held each other's eye before Itachi smirked and stood up, heading towards the cashier.

Huffing, Naruto bolted from the bench and slid in front of Itachi at the register just as he was getting ready to pay the bill. His hand slapped away Itachi's and he tried to push the older male back, but found that he wasn't moving very much.

A yelp escaped his mouth as Itachi's free hand brushed against a ticklish spot and he squirmed as he tossed the bills at the lady. She raised an eyebrow at their actions but otherwise didn't say anything as she counted the money the blond had thrown her way.

Itachi narrowed his eyes. It went against quite a few customs to simply pay for both, without consulting the other diner first. It was an issue of manly-pride and Itachi sucked up all of his elephant genes to commit this to memory. He would get Naruto back at some point if it meant he had to wait months. Itachi could be a patient man when he wanted to be.

They were handed a receipt and left the restaurant, heading back to the carpark. Naruto was grinning stealthily, obviously confident in the fact that Itachi had given in on the money front.

Naruto reversed quickly, turning out of the restaurant and heading straight back to the showgrounds.

"Are we going back to the stable area?"

Itachi turned his head from the flat scenery around them. "Unfortunately yes, we'll have to walk out to the competition area."

Naruto nodded, pushing down on the accelerator and looking out for the showground signposts. They were, like all owners and competitors, looking for the back entrance.

Once the signs came into view, Naruto eased the truck past the gate and showed the guard their passes before proceeding inside. He moved slowly in case they happened to pass any horses and riders.

He parked the truck in its parking spot and climbed out. Excitedly, he moved towards Itachi's side where the older male was waiting. He didn't have any idea where they were going and figured it'd be best to follow Itachi.

His fingers laced behind his head as they walked and a small grin was present on his face. He was still proud of himself for paying at lunch and now knew what he was up against next time they had meals.

Gravel crunched under their feet as they walked up a slight incline and a large sprawling field came into view. Other riders were present, walking around the vast open spaces and out further in the distance, Naruto could see more riders.

He turned towards Itachi. "How big is the field?"

Itachi looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'm not sure the whole size of the field, but the course is always around four miles at this stage." Itachi nodded to a passing group of people, heading out to the first jump. Around them, others were setting up the course fully for tomorrow, adding spectator barriers and setting up tents.

"How many jumps will you have to do?" Naruto's eyes raked over the vast grounds, looking at the cross country course around them. All the jumps were set up, through various heights of the land and terrain types. It was a difficult stage of the event.

"Around thirty," Itachi said, walking out to a thick jump. The number 1 was on a small flag at each side, indicating this would be the first jump.

The first jump was at a crest of an uphill slope, covered in flowers. The bright colours wouldn't help the horse if they decided they were scary (which could very well happen), but it was part of the cross country stage. The horse had to be brave.

"Three foot eleven high, six feet spread. Nasty to begin with, but a good starter." Itachi surveyed the jump, pushing on the ground where he would take off on Susanoo with a foot. "Quite firm ground which is good," he muttered, placing a hand on the large jump. "Wide, but we should be okay. She'll have to engage the hindquarters more on this jump and shouldn't clip the edge."

Itachi paused again, leaning over the jump and looking down.

Naruto's eyes moved away from the large looking jump and trailed instead over the jodhpurs that Itachi was wearing. He paused for a moment and glanced at the fabric-covered bottom before yanking his eyes away before he was caught.

Instead, he circled around the jump and moved away from temptation. He wasn't really sure what Itachi was looking for but he squatted down and looked at the jump as well, wondering if the new angle would help any.

He glanced up at Itachi, his face hovering not too far from the other male's. "What are you looking for?" he asked in a whisper, as though it was some big secret.

Itachi looked up, slightly surprised to see Naruto so close. "Any faults in the ground around the jump. If there are any sudden dips or potholes in the ground, I need to know that they're here so I can prepare myself for them and so ride Susanoo through them."

Itachi stood, offering a hand to Naruto. He hid his smile as Naruto took it, tingles running up his forearm.

"We'll move onto the second jump now." Itachi walked onwards, stopping only when a gazebo was close. Naruto frowned; surely the horses wouldn't have to jump a gazebo? They turned direction slightly, bearing to the left, and a tall wall came into sight. It was then Naruto realised that walls were on either side of the gazebo.

"Again this is the top spread of three foot eleven. It's a little less wide though, at just under six foot." Itachi stomped his foot around the jump again and Naruto resisted the urge to laugh. He really did look like a little child when doing that.

Itachi moved on a while later, when someone else started stomping around. They paused briefly at two mushroom-shaped jumps, with Itachi remarking how they were to ease the horse into the course, and then round a bridge-shaped jump.

They moved around the course until they hit some trees, wooden fences lined with brush on either side and one down the centre, with others circling the tree a little more.

"Do you have to do all of them?" Naruto blurted out, wondering how it could be possible.

Itachi shook his head, "Luckily no, you can choose which side. It depends really on how your horse follows the line better. For example, if Susanoo jumped slightly to the left, I'd try to line her up for the left-hand jump. It would make it a bit easier for her."

Naruto nodded and made a slight, 'ah' sound. He poked around the trees a bit and glanced at Itachi. Once he had made sure that the other male wasn't looking, he quietly stomped at the ground as well, curious to see what it was like.

After a few good stomps, he stopped and looked around again. He flushed a bit, realizing what he had just done, even though everyone else was doing the same thing, and trotted away from the fence.

Itachi came up behind him a while later and they headed off towards the remaining jumps. The trail snaked around the grounds and Naruto found himself lost, wondering how Itachi would remember the correct route. He felt like he needed a map just walking the path. He couldn't think about how it would be galloping a horse along the path.

They passed a few amusing jumps shaped like animals (ducks and squirrels to be noted) and other jumps shaped as cottages, wagons, through mud and ditches as well as a nasty one that veered downwards through the exit. Itachi had looked critically at all of them, running a hand over his jaw. They would be difficult, but he had expected them to be so. You didn't get to a four star level, the highest, and not feel challenged.

Susanoo would be prepared though and Itachi planned to take her training this evening. An idea formed in his head as they began to walk back.

"People with passes are allowed to ride around the grounds provided they are sensible. After I've trained Susanoo tonight I was thinking of going for an evening walk, maybe see the sunset or something."

Itachi admitted he was terrible at asking people things, but he'd never asked anyone on what was technically like a date before. They'd always asked (pleaded) him and he'd always (except for maybe one time, but that was a ridiculous mistake) turned the requests down.

Naruto looked crestfallen for a brief moment and Itachi began to speak, trying to get out what he meant.

"You have a horse," he said instead and then felt like wincing. Of course Naruto had a horse. "I mean you can ride your horse." Itachi was almost ready to just give up.

Blinking slowly, Naruto took in the jumbled sentences and tried to connect them together in his brain. For a second, it didn't seem to connect but then the little light bulb came on and his mouth opened in a small 'o'.

"A walk, as in with our horses? Like an evening ride?" Naruto asked. Itachi nodded slightly, his face looking a bit miserable and with the slightest hint of red on his cheeks. Naruto grinned. "Yeah, that'd be nice. Wichita and I would like that a lot."

Itachi brightned instantly, though he attempted not to let it show. Naruto had agreed and they would be riding. Together. In the sunset.

"Okay..." Itachi smiled. "Right, well... riding you know," he chuckled, wrinkling his nose a little. Naruto looked amused though.

"You're welcome to watch me train, though it's pretty basic. I'll just be warming her up and doing a few high jumps, no more than half an hour really. You're welcome to just meet me for the ride or something."

Naruto shook his head. "No, I'd like to watch you train, it'll be like a private show or something," he thought about his words for second, running them through his mind before shrugging. "And then we can go for a ride."

The thought was appealing and it made butterflies flutter around in his stomach. He was getting a chance to spend more time alone with Itachi and he wasn't about to give any of it up. He had never connected with someone like this before and he was surprised at how quickly it had happened.

It seemed like they had meet weeks ago instead of just this morning. He stopped at that thought, Itachi walking ahead without realizing he was alone. Had it really been a few hours since they first met this morning. He thought back to everything they had done and nodded when he came to the correct assumption. With a small smile, he jogged to catch up with Itachi who was looking at another fence.

They remained out for a little while before they looped back, heading towards the arenas and stable areas. The conversation between them was comfortable, little insignificant things such as weather and the landscape. Silly things, really, but to be able to talk about them in comfort was lovely.

"I'll quickly tack Susanoo up and grab my hat and we'll go to the training school. Kisame and Deidara will join us for a bit to set up the jumps, but I'll be able to warm her up by myself."

Naruto nodded and they entered the stable barn, easily locating Itachi's grey mare. She snorted in annoyance as Itachi breezed passed without greeting her and she poked her head from the stable.

"Hey girl," Naruto greeted and instantly Susanoo looked to him, nudging him gently in recognition.

Itachi exited the little room again, this time complete with basic English riding tack. He opened the door with ease, placing the saddle on the door and the bridle on Susanoo's head. Again, she snorted and Naruto strained his ears to hear Itachi's words.

"Sorry, girlie." Itachi lowered his voice more so that Naruto wouldn't be able to hear. "I really like him. I know you do too and I'm sorry if I'm a bit... odd. But shall we try to impress him a little eh? Tomorrow and the next day?"

Susanoo's ears flickered round and Itachi went to the saddle, placing it on her back and strapping the girth up smoothly. He pulled the reins over her head, allowing the door to swing open and waiting for Naruto to step to the side before they began walking, heading to the training grounds.

It didn't take long to reach the training grounds and Naruto hopped up on the top rail. There were only a few other horses and riders inside the ring, and Naruto watched them for a brief moment before turning his attention back to Itachi.

He squirmed, anxious to watch Itachi perform without any pressure of the crowd or judges. He wished that he had met Itachi before his competition so the older male could've seen him perform. But as it was, that time was long past and Naruto could only hope that there would be another time to show Itachi his skills on a horse.

A gentle breeze blew across the arena as Susanoo warmed up and Naruto watched as the powerful muscles rippled underneath her coat. He couldn't wait to see her in action, both tonight and tomorrow when she would be racing the clock.

Naruto straightened up as Itachi guided the mare to the fence he was sitting on and he reached out to rub Susanoo's head. She butted his leg with her nose and Naruto chuckled at the action, scratching her cheek lightly.

"Where's Kisame and Deidara?" Naruto asked, looking up at Itachi.

Itachi looked around, half expecting them to pop up out of nowhere.

"They've probably gone off to eat. They know what time I want them to put up the jumps so have no fear there." Itachi began walking, waiting for Naruto to join them before setting an amicable pace. Susanoo's hooves clopped evenly on the ground and the two men relaxed at the familiar sound for a moment.

They took two turns once leaving the barn to get to the training arena. It was smaller, capable of training medium sized groups still, but smaller than professionally judged arenas. A few other people milled in the stands and outside, watching others train and warm their horses up. There was the sound of thundering hooves that Itachi recognised as jumping training and he smiled, closing his eyes for a moment and imagining he was home.

"I'll go over to the stands then?" Naruto's voice was unsure, almost as if he didn't want to disturb Itachi.

"Of course." Itachi smiled, "I'd be a bit scared to face all these people without anyone I knew," he admitted, causing a light speckling of red to appear on Naruto's cheeks.

Before Naruto could respond, Itachi had flung the reins back over Susanoo's neck, rolling a stirrup down and hopping into the saddle, Susanoo perking up instantly. Someone opened the school doors, after checking Itachi was allowed to be in the arena and he set off round the track, trotting slowly.

Itachi began warming up, changing the rein and practicing semi-complex transitions, passing others on the left hand side. They were all skilled eventers in the ring (Itachi recognised a few of them) and noticed that the other two riders had turned into the centre of the ring. Itachi joined them.

"Do you fancy a game of chase-me Charlie?"

Itachi chuckled as one of the riders, a woman, spoke. She was grinning, looking at the two men who were training at the same time.

"I think I'll miss this one out. I've been exercising a while and I think it's time to head home." The other man on a bay horse nodded his head to them and walked out of the school, the doors opening.

The woman looked at Itachi again, "You game?"

With one glance at Naruto to check he was comfortable, Itachi nodded and the woman wheeled her chestnut round, trotting over to where, presumably, a member of her team waited. She returned a moment later.

"I'm Konan by the way and this is Nagato. He's gone to get our other team member so him and Yahiko can do the jumps for us." She smiled again, stroking her horse's neck.

"Itachi and this is Susanoo. I'll admit this will be rather interesting, given that we don't push it too high."

Konan shook her head, "It's just a friendly game. Some people here are so stiff and righteous they don't understand how to have fun." She sighed, "Just because Western's considered pleasure riding doesn't mean that English saddle isn't. There's good points to both."

Itachi nodded and Susanoo moved sideways a little, allowing Itachi a clear view to see Naruto.

Naruto perked a little as Itachi glanced at him briefly before his gaze shifted towards the jumps once more. He watched them carefully, wondering what they were talking about and trying not to let himself become jealous.

He rested his elbows on his knees and set his head in his hands. A vibration in his pocket made him jump and he quickly grabbed his phone, watching Itachi warm up from the corner of his eye. A scrolling text message was on the screen and he quickly read it before replying back.

In the arena, some jumps were set up and Naruto sucked in a breath as Susanoo approached it, holding it as she jumped over it easily. When she landed, he let out his breath with a whoosh and watched as they headed towards the next jump.

His phone started to ring this time and Naruto's hand reached out for it, trying to keep his eyes focused on the jumping horses. He finally grabbed it and brought the device to his ear. "Hold on," he muttered and watched as Itachi made it over the final jump.

After making sure that they were done for a while, Naruto focused on the caller. "What is it Sasuke?"

"Why didn't you leave the grounds Naruto?"

"How'd you know I was still here?" Naruto asked curious, checking the arena again.

"You didn't check into the hotel that you booked and they called me asking where you were. You're either in an accident or you never left. For your sake, you better tell me that you're on your way there."

Chuckling weakly, Naruto scratched his head. "I might be staying for a few more days?"

A low sigh sounded through the phone and Naruto could almost picture Sasuke pinching the bridge of his nose. "Naruto, we can't afford to stay there another night. We only booked a stall for the days we need it."

"But I took care of it, I'm staying with someone."

There was a pause before Sasuke answered again. "Someone. As in..."

Naruto looked back at the arena, noticing that Itachi was glancing at him. He grinned at the man and turned back to the phone. "I need to go Sasuke, I'll call you later." He could hear the older male yelling at him to stay on the line but snapped his phone shut regardless. Tucking the phone back in his pocket, he focused back on Itachi again, noting that the jumps were higher this time.

Itachi turned Susanoo into the centre as Konan waved him in. He saw Naruto staring at his phone, but dismissed it as his new friend drew his attention. She lined her horse up beside his and leant in, "Right, so that was a few warm up jumps, you ready for the big ones?"

She smiled as Itachi nodded. "You start at A I'll go for C."

Itachi took Susanoo to the top of the school, waiting for Konan's two team members to change the cross-bar jumps to straight lines, higher and a little more challenging looking. Konan was directly opposite him, down at the other end of the school, both awaiting commands to start. It was this that would be the real competition.

"Go!" One of the team members shouted out and both Itachi and Konan spurred their horses into a brisk canter.

The line to the jumps was straight and Susanoo breezed over them, as did Konan's horse Ame. There was a jump on each side of the school (at B and E) and a complete circuit meant they had to jump over both jumps.

Itachi sailed over the second jump, continuing the canter. Yahiko and Nagato moved forwards, pushing the jump up a notch and evening the jump out, making it higher than the last round. Both Konan and Itachi had to circle away from the jumps so that they had time to sort the levels out and they then continued, jumping with ease and grace.

The game continued, the two racing each other as the jumps progressed higher. It was a fun gymkhana game and the fact that two FEI level riders were playing it in the training ring began to attract some attention.

Itachi was smiling as they galloped round and knew Konan would be too. Yahiko signalled for them to pull in suddenly and Itachi stopped Susanoo next to Ame, their horses sides rising and falling while they had a slight respite.

"You play a good game Uchiha." Itachi would have been surprised if Konan hadn't known his name.

"As do you," Itachi replied, looking to Naruto. The blond was watching in curiosity, or so Itachi hoped. He was also able to pick out another blond in the small group who had gathered to look and raised his hand to Kisame and Deidara, pointing to where Naruto was.

"Ah they're back."

Pein and Yahiko had managed to drag in larger jumping wings, allowing Susanoo and Ame to continue.

"Come on then Uchiha, let's see what you got!" Konan laughed as she spurred her horse on, the chestnut responding with pricked ears, interested clearly in the contest.

"Come on then lovely," Itachi said, bringing Susanoo to trot and then to a fluid canter, circling her as the men sorted out the jumps. "Let's show Naruto a preview for the next two days."

Then they were off, chasing the tail of Ame as Ame was chasing them. The jumps progressed higher, not close enough to reach the height of showjumping or cross country jumps, but high enough to require the horses to focus.

Naruto watched awestruck as Susanoo continued to jump the higher jumps and found that every time they approached a jump, he was holding his breath. He coughed harshly as someone came up behind him and startled him out of his trance.

He glanced up and grinned at Deidara and Kisame as they took a seat next to him. They greeted him with smiles and a nod of their head before settling down in the chairs. No one said a word as they watched the pair of horses work through the fences and Naruto was once again pulled into the beauty of the horses jumping.

Their muscles rippled and bunched underneath the coat and the soothing sound of cantering hooves filled his ears. It was like music to him, even if the event was different. The sounds of horses working was universal to anyone who rode and was a comforting tune to all riders.

Sharp snorts and pounding hooves made his eyes open after the brief moment that they had been closed, and Naruto focused once more. His heart was pounding in his chest and he compared the jumps from earlier to the jumps now, remembering that they were much higher.

Excitement filled him as he thought about watching Susanoo take care of the jumps tomorrow and he wiggled anxiously. His eyes moved away from the horses and instead focused on Itachi, taking in the concentration on his face to the gentle hands that guided Susanoo over the fence.

He closed his eyes and exhaled, allowing all the nervous tension that had built during the jumping to leave his body. He had gotten himself riled up and he wasn't even the one riding.

The notches were declining smoothly on the fences and Itachi looped in a circle, waiting for the jumps to be pushed up. They were borderlining the lower jumps in the competing stages tomorrow and Itachi knew that one of their horses would knock the pole or refuse soon - a loss in the game. While they could cope easily with this level in competing, both horses had already had a trying day and in the stages that required jumping, the levels hadn't started as low and easy as here. Chase-me Charlie was a tricky game in that respect, especially when the horses playing were at Susanoo and Ame's level.

A pole suddenly clanged to the ground and both riders drew their horses to a stand still. Some of the crowd watching had gasped and jumped with the sudden noise of the jumping pole hitting the ground and were not chuckling.

Susanoo snorted heavily, her sides moving rapidly. It was a good thing he was taking her out for a walk with Naruto; it would ease her to cool down.

Itachi looked behind him, to where Pein and Yahiko were moving the fallen pole to the side. Konan had lengthened Ame's reins and was leaning down, both hands patting her horse's neck with loud clapping noises.

"Sometimes he refuses to pick his feet up." Konan had reached Itachi now and smiled apologetically. "Congratulations on the win and I hope to see you tomorrow. I enjoyed this, it's been the most fun I've had with someone in a while."

Itachi raised an eyebrow and Konan let out a chuckle. "Okay, so that's a lie, but it's the most fun I've had with a stranger and his horse in a long while."

She seemed to look over his shoulder. "And by the looks of it, the blondie's really into you too. See you at the scoring tent," and with that, Konan left the arena out of one of the doors and Itachi brought Susanoo over to where Naruto, Deidara and Kisame were standing.

Bouncing with excitement, Naruto reached out to rub Susanoo's head. Hot breath fanned over his hand as she breathed heavily and he patted her sweaty coat. "Good job girl," he muttered softly. She snorted and bobbed her head, enjoying the praise and attention.

Tearing his gaze away from the mare, Naruto looked up at Itachi. "I'll give you some time with your team and go get Wichita."

At Itachi's nod, he darted away from the fence and started to weave his way through the crowd that had formed. Once he was free of them, he jogged slowly down the pathway and to the stable.

He found his way to the stall where they had boarded Wichita and he slipped inside the box. With a happy snort, the gelding pranced in place before shoving his head into his chest. With loud snorts, he sniffed his shirt and took in the new scents before pinning his ears back slightly.

Naruto laughed and pushed his head away. Wichita's ears peaked forward again as Naruto grabbed a brush and quickly brushed away some shavings stuck to his coat. Within moments, the gelding was clean and Naruto led him out of the stall.

He didn't bother with a saddle since they were just walking. He was no stranger to riding bareback and enjoyed it a lot. It made him feel closer to the horse and was a sign of trust. Once they were outside the stable, he hoisted himself up, glad that Wichita was standing still for him.

Shifting his weight to settle evenly, Naruto led Wichita up the trail that led to the ring. Hopefully by the time he got there, the crowd would've thinned out.

  
**.**  


Itachi waited for Naruto to leave before acknowledging Deidara and Kisame. Deidara was smiling widely and Kisame simply stood there with his arms crossed.

"Don't say whatever you want to say," Itachi muttered, nudging Susanoo gently so that she could carry on walking and wouldn't seize up. He pointedly ignored his teammates, moving his leg forward on the saddle and looping the reins into the crook of his elbow to run his stirrups up. His legs hung down, swinging as Susanoo walked and Itachi leant back on his grey horse, letting the reins free and resting both hands behind himself, on Susanoo's rump.

Susanoo's ears pricked up suddenly and Itachi focused his attention on the bay horse approaching. From the slightly stocky shoulders, Itachi guessed that this could be the love of Naruto's life and wasn't disappointed when he saw the blond nestled between Wichita's shoulder blades, hands burrowed in the dark mane of his horse.

"Bareback?" Itachi commented, glancing around for Kisame. Naruto grinned in return, nodding.

In a smooth movement, Itachi had dismounted and unbuckled the girth, Kisame moving from where he'd been standing to take the saddle as Itachi took it off of Susanoo's back. She shorted, torn between looking at what was going on and the new horse, before Itachi gathered the reins again, placing two hands on her back.

Gently seating himself after receiving a leg-up from Deidara, Itachi thanked his two friends and explained he was going to cool Susanoo in Naruto's company. Of course, he ignored the pointed looks they gave each other and gently guided Susanoo to leave the training area fully, waiting for Wichita and Naruto to join them.

With a small grin, Naruto sent Wichita after Susanoo at a slow trot until they caught up. He made sure to keep a good distance between them in case either horse didn't like each other. But after a few sniffs of the air, Wichita relaxed next to Susanoo and lowered his head.

"I think he likes her," Naruto exclaimed happily and patted Wichita's neck. He was worried that the gelding wouldn't like the mare after his reaction in the stall. He glanced towards Itachi again and grinned. "You looked really good out in the ring earlier, when you were jumping with Susanoo."

His face grew hot in the cooling evening as he thought about his words and realized how they could sound. Wichita snorted as his legs tightened and Naruto relaxed quickly. Horses could always pick up on how nervous humans were.

Itachi hid a smile. "Thank you," he said, sitting deep on Susanoo's back, fingers tangling in her mane as they walked along leisurely. Bareback could be unsettling at first, especially when you hadn't had the chance in a while, but Itachi found his seat adjusting well.

"It wasn't too much of a form exercise, just a bit of fun really. The real form business will come in at the show jumping." Itachi looked over to Naruto and his horse. "Your horse is beautiful," Itachi said.

Both horses flickered their ears at Itachi's words, Susanoo pinning hers back for a moment. A soothing hand calmed her, reassuring her that she was the only horse for him. Wichita whickered softly, causing Itachi to laugh.

Naruto shook his head at the horses' actions, finding himself still amazed at how smart they were. He turned to Itachi and grinned. "You know what I think about Susanoo, but I'll keep my thoughts to myself when he's around." He patted Wichita's neck and ran his hand through the thick mane.

"Thanks for letting us stay with you too, we both appreciate it." Naruto said after a brief moment of silence. Wichita snorted his thanks as well and Naruto laughed. "What time is your event tomorrow?"

Itachi nodded his head to accept the thanks, "It's odd. I never would have thought I'd be so open with a stranger, but I find your company exceedingly pleasant, so thank you. Tomorrow we start off at around eleven in the morning, but we'll be running the course a little later. Eleven onwards is to walk round the course again and warm the horses up, plus prepare them."

Tomorrow would be grueling, but Naruto would have no idea until he saw it. Cross-country was something you couldn't quite believe properly until you'd seen it. Itachi was supposed to cover the grounds set out in under twenty-two minutes (and that was the very maximum) so the course would need to be taken at full gallop. It took a very highly trained horse to compete at the cross-country stage, especially at such a high level.

"I can arrange for Kisame and Deidara to sort out an extra team pass for you. Many others have larger teams than we do and it would be an honour for you to join us really. If you're here, you might as well enjoy all the benefits of being on a team and having an all access pass around."

Naruto's eyes lit up and he nodded. "That would be awesome. I can't wait to see you ride tomorrow for real, the course we walked earlier was neat and all, but to see someone actually compete is better," he paused. "Especially when you know them and can cheer for them."

Although Naruto knew that he'd probably be holding his breath each time Itachi and Susanoo took a jump. Some of the ones he had seen earlier today seemed almost impossible to jump to his untrained eye. Still, he'd mentally be cheering, so long as he didn't pass out from holding his breath too long.

Wichita pranced underneath him and Naruto ran a hand along his neck to calm him down. Just thinking about watching Itachi tomorrow was getting him excited and Wichita was picking up on his energy. With a loud snort, he tossed his head, asking to go faster.

With an apologetic smile, Naruto turned to Itachi. "Sorry, but it seems like he's in the mood to run for a bit." He glanced at Susanoo, knowing that she had to compete tomorrow and didn't want to wear her down.

Itachi considered it for a moment. Susanoo was most likely tired from the day's work and a hard canter right now had the potential to do a little damage. She would be working hard tomorrow too. He looked around them, in particular down at the ground they were walking on. It was a dirt track, with thick grass around them. It didn't look to hard and Itachi nudged Susanoo gently, causing her to tuck her head in and pick her feet up a little more, allowing Itachi to get a feel for the ground.

"I see no problem in letting off steam. He's been boxed up for a while and Susanoo loves the opportunity to run with friends." Itachi smiled, "I'll be holding her back though, she's a full thoroughbred and that includes the racing genes. Even though she's an eventer, they never quite lose the will to race."

Itachi settled deeper onto Susanoo's back, preparing himself for the bunchy trot that would occur. Because the two horses were together and could sense the anticipation of a good canter coming up from their riders, they would be more highly strung than usual in their trot. It meant, for riding bareback, that grabbing the mane to help stay on was advisable, even if it was 'just to be safe'.

Naruto nodded and eased Wichita into a trot. The gait was smooth, as Western riding asked the horse to move as slow and smoothly as possible but they weren't riding for show today. Just because they trained in the Western events, didn't mean that either of them liked to go slow all the time.

Wichita bounced slightly as his trot sped up and he lengthened his body to match Susanoo's long strides. He pulled at the reins, asking to go faster and Naruto shifted his body to sit deeper on his back. His hands grabbed a handful of mane to be on the safe side and glanced at Itachi, asking if they were ready.

Itachi nodded, settling into the seat and feeling Susanoo respond to the hint of what was to come in the air. She shorted, raising her head in a way she never could in competing circles. In a moment her muscles had tensed, bunching together as if she was trying to make her shoulders and hindquarters meet... and then they were off.

Next to them, Itachi could see Wichita stretching out his legs, catching up to the sudden change in Susanoo's gait. As the horses relaxed into the canter, Itachi allowed his hand to leave the grey mane he had clutched, leaning forwards a little over Susanoo's neck. While it was much easier to fold over with stirrups, Itachi didn't do too badly without them and Susanoo skipped a beat in her canter, vaulting forwards suddenly with enthusiasm.

Wind roared in Itachi's ears as he moved his hands forward, allowing Susanoo's head to move as she wanted in their gallop. For a moment, he allowed himself to close his eyes, forgetting the fact that they were in the middle of a competition, forgetting Naruto was close to him and forgetting they were on the ground. For these few moments, they were flying, much like Pegasus. The gallop was a truly remarkable experience, but Itachi knew he couldn't over do it.

With a quick glance behind himself, gripping Susanoo's mane for balance, Itachi saw Wichita doing an amazing job of keeping up with a highly trained thoroughbred. The quarter horse was happily galloping along, behind Susanoo yes, but not disturbed by the fact. By sitting a little more upright in his seat and gently adjusting the pressure on Susanoo's back, Itachi asked her to slow, so that they were next to Wichita.

Wind whipped at Naruto's face and Wichita's mane, making the coarse hair fly back into his eyes, but it didn't make Naruto slow the horse down any. It had been a while since they were able to gallop like this, especially with such a strong horse and rider. Sasuke didn't really count since they competed against each other and everything was a challenge.

But this was wonderful. Even though Itachi was holding Susanoo back so they could ride together, there wasn't any pressure. Just two riders enjoying their horses and the simple pleasures that riding could bring.

For a moment, it was easy to forget that they were at a competition and not back home but the sound of Susanoo's hooves met his ears and Naruto drew Wichita down from the gallop. He had forgotten that the mare had to compete tomorrow and he didn't want her tired. If she injured herself because of his horses desire to gallop, he'd never forgive himself.

Their canter broke a little while later, the two men bouncing uncomfortably as the horses settled down, transitioning from bouncy trot to a smoother one and then, finally, into a walk. Itachi was smiling, facing Naruto as he stroked Susanoo's neck.

"Thank you," he said, truly meaning it. He hadn't had a gallop like this for ages. They had been over in Kentucky for a few months, getting Susanoo used to the heat here and training her up in it. In that time, there had been no one with a horse willing to go for a gallop and it was such a lovely experience, one Itachi never wanted to forget.

They would have to start making their way back, at a walk to cool their horses down. While conversations on hacks could sometimes become a little strained, both of their horses were relaxed and happy to walk side by side, as well as their riders. Itachi lengthened his reins and let them drop onto Susanoo's withers as he stretched back, resting both hands on her rump again and bobbing in time to her walk.

Naruto smiled softly at Itachi, understanding what it was like to want a good riding partner. A comfortable silence stretched between them and Naruto ran a hand over Wichita's shoulder, feeling it shift with the steps he took.

His eyes glanced at the trail ahead where the sun was starting to set. "It looks nice," he said quietly, nodding at the sun when Itachi glanced at him. "There are times when it seems like you're too busy to watch the simplest of things, like the sun setting. But then you get nights like this and you want more of them."

A blush spread across his face as Naruto realized what he had said and he scratched the back of his head. He knew he should've kept his mouth shut earlier.

Itachi could see Naruto's embarrassment and pushed up off of his horse a little, causing her to raise her head and snort slightly. Carefully, so as not to startle Wichita or Naruto, Itachi shifted Susanoo to walk right beside the pair, his leg brushing against Naruto's and making the blond jump.

"I completely agree. It helps when the company is good too, and I hope that we can share this experience again." Itachi managed to act calmly on the outside, but internally he was laughing at himself. How more sappy and idiotic could he sound? If not for the stoic Uchiha genes in him, Itachi would be bright red by now.

Naruto hummed in agreement. He didn't trust himself to voice what was on his mind, knowing that it would just make him sound like something from a movie. But honestly, a kiss in the sunset would be a nice way to wrap up the day, even though he wasn't sure what was going to happen after this, outside of dinner and bed.

Maybe he could find some time to slip away and call Sasuke back. Try to convince him to clean out the guest room at their ranch so Itachi could stay a while longer. It was an interesting thought, but the chances of it happening were so far stretched right now that Naruto wouldn't even mention it until Itachi had finished competing.

His leg brushed against Itachi's again and he glanced up towards the other male. "Should we start heading back?"

"Probably a good idea. I dread to think how hard Susanoo will be to wake up in the morning." Naruto snorted, but Itachi just responded with a raised eyebrow. "You don't think it could be true? She's the laziest mare ever."

They walked back, enjoying the cooling rays of the sun and approaching darkness. A few stars dotted about the sky and Itachi looked up, enjoying the cloudless night. Susanoo snorted in contentment, snatching a few leaves off of a passing bush. Itachi slapped her gently on the neck, chiding her for her lapse in obedience. Normally she'd behave during competing seasons, but horses would be horses after all.

A moment later, both riders watched as their horses bent their heads together. Itachi braced himself for the ear-piercing squeal that would almost certainly escape the horses and was instead soothed by the sound of air blowing, the two making fast and solid friends.

Breathing out a sigh of relief at Wichita's actions to Susanoo, Naruto patted the bay's neck and ruffled the thick mane. There were times when Wichita had Sasuke's personality, refusing to play nice with others unless he knew them after a while. But he had seemed to take a good liking to the mare and it pleased him.

They reached the stables and Naruto slid off with a slight groan, stretching out his leg muscles and brushing off the dust from the trail. He ran a hand over Wichita's cheek and murmured softly to him, giving him praise for behaving on the ride.

When he finished with his horse, he looked over to Itachi who was working with Susanoo. He didn't want to sound rude, since Itachi was giving him so much, but he still wasn't sure where he was staying for the night. It wouldn't bother him to camp out in his truck for the night; he had done so before plenty of times before. But if that were the case, he wondered if Itachi would let him use the shower at least before he went to bed.

He shuffled around in the stall, fusing over Wichita until finally there was nothing left to do. Letting himself out of the box, he moved over to Susanoo and stroked her head. "What are your plans for the rest of the night?" he asked softly.

Itachi kicked the kick-bolt shut and made sure the stable was secure. He could hear Susanoo eating from her haynet and assumed that Wichita would soon, knowing Deidara would have set one up for the bay.

"Planning to take a bath for one," Itachi said, yawning as he stretched his back out, arching his spine. "Deidara and Kisame are probably waiting at the hotel for us so would you mind if I rode with you?" Itachi turned to Naruto, realizing perhaps he hadn't explained himself.

"Sorry," he began, "We assumed you didn't have anywhere to stay and so booked another room at the hotel. We were in luck; your room is on the same floor as ours, directly opposite Deidara's and next to mine. We'll have to share a bathroom, so I hope that won't be a problem, but they're pretty decent rooms."

Itachi suddenly wondered if his actions had been a little too bold and so rude. "I'm sorry if this is a bit forward of us, but we thought it would be better to book the room fully anyway. We had booked it the days before, but Deidara and Kisame tried to talk me out of keeping it, as it was empty. I didn't enjoy the thought of sharing a bathing space with a complete stranger, but they said it was stupid to keep the room." Itachi rolled his eyes, "Don't worry about money either. My sponsors are taking care of it."

Naruto blinked, surprised at what was being offered to him. He hadn't been expecting his own room. At most, maybe just a small little spot on the ground but this had blown everything away. He found that he couldn't say anything as the shock was still setting in and it took a while before he could finally utter his thanks.

"Itachi," he muttered softly. "I don't even know how repay you for everything. I was ready to sleep out in my truck tonight but this..." Naruto paused and glanced up. Every nerve in his body wanted to give the man a hug, but he wasn't sure how Itachi would react to something so intimate.

Instead, he inclined his head slightly forward. "Thank you," he said honestly, hoping to get his point across as to how much it meant to him. "I really appreciate everything."

Itachi smiled, "Come on now, it's not all for you. I get to keep my bathroom away from crazy people now. So technically you're the one doing me the great service."

Itachi could sense Naruto was uncomfortable with the things he had done, not that he wasn't grateful. Itachi understood, after all, yesterday they had been strangers and now Itachi (or rather his sponsors, but then again Uchiha was his sponsors) was paying for all of these things.

"If it really bothers you," Itachi said, "Then you're more than welcome to think up something that I have to agree to. It's only fair as I pushed all of this to you without asking."

With that, Itachi made sure his little room was locked up and walked towards the exit of the barn. Security personnel were patrolling the grounds, one guard standing at the entrance. The nodded to him, flashing their passes, and were waved through with a slight smile.

The car park was close and the evening air carried a hint of a breeze, blowing a strand of Itachi's hair in his eyes. Naruto unlocked his truck and they got in, the engine rumbling to life. They set off, Itachi giving out clear instructions, until they reached a simple yet much needed hotel. It was hardly a five star affair, but was a modest place, affordable and included breakfast buffet. Dinner, regrettably, did not come with the room fee, but the restaurant downstairs looked nice enough.

Collecting their keys at the welcome desk, Itachi led Naruto up to their rooms. He banged on the doors opposite, drawing out the occupants.

"Welcome back, finally," Deidara muttered, hair completely tied up out of his face and toothbrush in mouth. "We were wondering if we'd have to send a search party. Our dinner reservations are in an hour I'll have you know."

Kisame's welcome was a little less chilly. "Deidara's been bitching about you not being here all day. Thanks for coming back."

The pair had then turned their attention to Naruto, and the bag he had gathered out of the car. Inside was all of his clothes, the rest of his gear (such as tack and other horse essentials) had either been taken back with his friends or were waiting in his trailer.

With a wide grin, Naruto waved at Itachi's teammates. "Thanks for letting me steal your rider away for the day; I brought him back safe and sound. Not a scratch on him." He paused and poked Itachi in the side. "Well, except maybe here, when I didn't let him pay for lunch, but you can buff that out."

For a second, the hallway was quiet until Kisame started to snort with laughter and patted Naruto on the shoulder. "I still like you," he said with a smile. "You're okay with me."

Naruto laughed and turned to Deidara. "But it is my fault that we stayed out so late, Wichita wanted to gallop so it took a little longer to cool them down."

Deidara narrowed his eyes, scanning Naruto quickly and then turning to Itachi. With a once-over of the dark haired man, Deidara returned to Naruto again.

"Congratulations, you managed to conquer Mount Uchiha. He never lets anyone pay, you're in the club as far as I'm concerned." Deidara stopped speaking, looking to the side for a moment. "If we're a club, can I make T-shirts?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow and Deidara shrugged. "Why not? Fine then. I expect you at the dinner table in an hour by the way. Both of you. And you, Kisame," Deidara said to the man who had started to slink away. It had become a tradition that they'd all eat together in the evening and it now included Naruto.

Itachi bid a brief farewell at the doors to their rooms and they entered. Itachi's was already showing signs of being lived in, particularly because they had been at this hotel for a few weeks already. They had moved due to the arena saying they had permission to train in the grounds before the event, which Itachi had been very grateful for.

Each room was a basic hotel layout, large bed in the centre, a desk to the side and a television set opposite. A mini-bar sat tucked away under the TV set and a tray containing instant coffee granules, an ancient kettle and various utensils one needed to make coffee sat next to the screen. Itachi's only regret was that there was no tea to offer, even though it would have been pretty disgusting. Still, tea was tea...

A wardrobe sat at one end of the room and another door the other end. Itachi walked to the door with the intent to clear some of his toiletries into neater positions, allowing Naruto space for his own if he needed.

He entered to find Naruto already poking about, bathroom door open and blond hair darting between the shared room and his own. A few creaks informed Itachi that he was bouncing on the bed and the Uchiha smiled. He had done exactly the same when he had arrived.

Toothbrush and shaving equipment was pushed to one side by Itachi as he made space for his new friend. His old toothbrush holder - an oddly shaped sausage with legs and a hole in its back for the toothbrush to rest - was gently placed in the centre of the counter.

It was supposed to be a weasel, a pun that Sasuke had found hilarious at that age, and so his brother had decided to make a toothbrush holder for him from a plastic-clay substance in his art class, back when he was seven. Itachi always took it with him, remembering when Sasuke had actually been happy to acknowledge his love for his brother.

In the other room, Naruto was tossing his clothes out of his travel bag, looking for his towel that he used when he was on the road. Sure the hotels gave them towels, but he didn't trust them and he liked the feel of his own anyway.

Once his clothes were a mess on his bed, he sighed at himself and started to refold them and place them away. He didn't need Itachi to think he was a slob. Once the room was a bit cleaner than it had been earlier, Naruto picked up the towel from his bag and set it on the bed.

He glanced at the door leading to the bathroom and made sure that it was shut before stripping out of his dusty clothes. He wanted to look a little nicer for dinner tonight and figured a shower before putting on clean clothes would be wise.

Toeing his dirty clothes into the corner of his room, he grabbed his shower bag and padded to the bathroom door. With his towel wrapped loosely around his hips, he knocked lightly on the door and listened for any movement inside the bathroom.

When silence met his knock, he deemed the room empty and opened the door cautiously. He would never forget the time he burst into the bathroom last time he shared a room with Sasuke and had a roll of toilet paper thrown at his face by an upset Uchiha.

Seeing that the bathroom was indeed empty, he set his shampoo and soap inside the shower. He was about to turn the water on when he remembered that he wanted to brush his teeth after the shower and ran back to get his toothbrush and toothpaste. He bounded back into the bathroom, freezing as Itachi walked in at the same time.

Itachi couldn't move as he saw Naruto opposite him, clad in nothing but a towel. He had planned to let Naruto know that he could shower first, but it seemed that the blond had beat him to it. Instead of doing the reasonable thing and leaving, however, Itachi remained where he was, bent over slightly as he had opened the door and with one hand outstretched.

He knew he must look ridiculous, but it wasn't as if Naruto was moving either. There was some sort of equilibrium balance between them in this stand off and neither man moved.

At least, not until Naruto's towel started to slip. He caught it before Itachi was graced with a look at the rest of his body (and what a rather nice body it was, even though it was expected due to the nature of Naruto's work and his skill. But still it was nice than your average rider's), but it broke the odd connection between them and that was when the awkwardness set in.

"I should go," mumbled Itachi, rubbing his nose with his hand in embarrassment. Even having said that he hovered a few moments, wondering if Naruto would say anything. With one look round the bathroom, Itachi made a noise as if he had been successful at finding something.

It was a feeble excuse, but Itachi snatched up the complementary packet of soap. "Just what I wanted!" he said, waving the wrapped packed in Naruto's direction before darting out of the bathroom and locking the door.

With the soap in his hand, Itachi winced, clutching his head. The image of a semi-naked Naruto was forever burnt into his mind and it was unlikely to go away any time soon. The soap fell to the floor as Itachi dragged his feet over to his bed, sitting down and trying to wrap his head around the idiotic display he had just put on.

For several moments, Naruto stared at the closed door before slowly blinking. His cheeks started to heat up and he let out a soft groan, his hand coming up to cover his eyes. This was not how he expected to let Itachi see him tonight and now he had to sit through dinner with him.

He banged his head against the wall before stumbling away with a curse. He fumbled for the facet in the shower and quickly stepped inside. Apologies started to form inside his mind but as soon as they entered his mind, he dismissed them.

There really wasn't any good way to apologize for letting Itachi see him almost naked. Although honestly, he wouldn't have cared if Itachi had seen him like that if they knew each other a little better, but that was getting ahead of himself.

In the end, he guessed that the best thing to do was suggest that he give Itachi the empty room back and he could camp out in the truck. At least now he was clean and for the remaining days, he could always use the locker rooms that were reserved for the riders staying on the grounds.

With a low sigh, Naruto finished his shower and turned the water off. He quickly dried off and brushed his teeth before leaving the room and locking the door behind him; just in case.

Itachi was lying on the bed, his hands folded on his stomach and eyes staring up at the ceiling. He could ask to switch with Deidara or Kisame so that Naruto would be more comfortable or something. They could sort it out, it wasn't a big deal. Itachi had seen plenty of male friends naked in non-sexual circumstances... it shouldn't be odd, but for some reason it was with Naruto.

It was undeniable now. Itachi knew he had liked Naruto a lot, but this confirmed that he liked him in more than a friendship manner.

Screw that, in fact Itachi was pretty sure he was about to fall head over heels with Naruto. If given the chance, the blond would hook into him deeply, and Itachi would let him. One day and he was already considering the blond as a potential, well, partner really. Boyfriend sounded too fleeting, lover not quite deep enough and life partner a little too sappy. He may be admitting that he was crazy by liking Naruto this much, but he drew the line at sappy.

"Great," Itachi muttered, rolling over onto his stomach and burrowing his head into his pillow. It smelt of horses and a knot twisted in his stomach as that made him think of Susanoo and Wichita... which brought him back to Naruto. "I'm going crazy and talking to myself."

The silence in his room had Naruto pacing back and forth. His eyes glanced at the clock, then back at the door before he started to pace once more. He nearly ran to the door when a knock sounded on the other side but calmed himself down before opening it.

Deidara and Kisame were standing on the other side of the door, and Naruto let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. Kisame raised an eyebrow at his actions but Deidara pulled him out of the room with a large smile on his face.

"Hungry?" Naruto asked, trying to cover up his nervousness. He didn't know how Itachi was feeling but he knew that he had to fix things up before tomorrow. Itachi had to compete and he didn't want anything to mess him up.

"Starving," Deidara answered while Kisame pounded on Itachi's door. They waited for a few moments before Deidara sighed dramatically, tapping his foot.

"Get out here now Uchiha or I swear to god I'll call your uncle up and tell him you've injured your horse. And don't think I wouldn't do it, I have his number on speed dial and I'm a brilliant actor so it would be perfect. And if that's not a threat enough, I'll call your parents. See how you'd like that! I'll tell your mother you're not sleeping properly and your father that you're running around dishonouring the family, then I'd call your brother and tell him you've-"

"I get it Deidara," Itachi interrupted, opening the door to his room and pointedly ignoring Naruto. He had managed to change into normal clothes, retying his hair in a higher ponytail than usual.

"Well," Kisame said, looking at the group of people he had to sit through dinner with. Sometimes he felt as though he were an adult looking after unruly children. "Let's go then."

They moved down the hallway and Naruto cast a careful look at Itachi from the corner of his eyes. The man didn't show anything about being bothered from the bathroom episode earlier, but Itachi's silence spoke wonders.

He had been talking most of the day and now the sudden silence was hard on Naruto. Even Kisame glanced back at them, noticing the silence between them. Coming to a decision, Naruto decided that he'd talk to Itachi tonight before they went to bed. He wasn't sure what he'd say yet, but something had to give.

Itachi glanced at Naruto from the corner of his eye as he felt him staring. He was sure they'd talk later about it, but for now they had to stave off Deidara's houndish questioning. If Deidara picked up a scent, he'd never let it go.

The restaurant was fairly homey, with a selection of food traditional to the area. As they were seated, menus were passed out and everyone was able to look through the different offers, considering what they could eat. No one wanted anything too heavy, but too light and you'd be raiding the (expensive) mini-bar in the middle of the night.

"So, Naruto," Deidara broke the silence. "Tell us about yourself."

Naruto glanced up after he passed off his menu to the waitress. "Well, I'm from Texas. I have a ranch back home where I breed cattle and horses, and let people board their horses on my land as well. Y'all already know my horse, Wichita of course."

He paused to take a sip of water. "I have a friend who helps me take care of the ranch, but he can be a real bastard at time." Naruto chuckled at the thought of Sasuke fuming at home when he didn't check into the hotel. "But that's about it."

Deidara nodded enthusiastically, bending his head in Naruto's direction. He sat opposite Naruto, with Kisame next to him and Itachi next to Naruto.

"Well oddly enough all of us come from Japanese families somewhere down the line, but we've all been in England for a few generations. Down in the south actually. Itachi's family runs a major stud business, specializing in thoroughbreds, eventing horses, and polo types. Kisame came from a racing background and he joined us after realizing he preferred horses to the sport, while I was local and wanting a temporary job."

Deidara chuckled. "Ended up staying and haven't regretted it since." He sighed. "Of course bastard here decided that breeding on the stud farm wasn't enough and had to tackle eventing himself. So we tagged along, going through trials at Badminton as if they were air."

Naruto grinned at Deidara's enthusiasm and leaned back in his chair, as a plate of pasta was set before him. The smells of dinner made his stomach growl and for a moment, he forgot about the incident in the bathroom as everyone tucked into dinner.

Polite conversation was made while they ate, each person enjoying their meal until one by one they finished their meals. They stayed a little longer, talking and enjoying the company until Deidara looked at his watch and shooed Itachi away.

"It's getting late and you need sleep for tomorrow."

As Itachi nodded and stood up, Naruto followed suit and did the same, thanking Deidara and Kisame for the meal. He quickly trotted after Itachi, determined not to let him get away before they had a chance to talk.

Once they had moved down the hallway in silence, Naruto reached out and grabbed Itachi's arm before the older male could unlock his room. Dark eyes settled on him and it was then that Naruto realized he hadn't planned out anything to say.

"I'm sorry about earlier," he blurted out, figuring that it was best to get everything out in the open. "I should've told you that I was going to shower and I really hope that I didn't make you upset or uncomfortable. If you want, I can go camp out in my truck for the rest of the time so you can have the bathroom to yourself again."

Itachi shook his head, smiling. "I'm sorry too. I should have knocked before." Tension seemed to deflate between them and the relaxed air returned. "And don't be silly, it's just a bathroom. As long as we knock and make sure the doors are locked when we are using the shower or toilet, I think we'll be fine. It was just a shock is all."

Naruto seemed uncertain for a moment, but Itachi was sure he had won him over. "Don't turn down a nice comfy bed for your truck. Remember you're part of my team now and I need you in top shape."

Itachi watched as the blond seemed to reach a decision and nodded, a smile back on his lips. They bid each other goodnight, Itachi letting Naruto use the bathroom first, and entered their separate rooms. Itachi kicked off his shoes and fell back onto the bed, waiting for the tell-tale signs of someone using the bathroom to kick in, and he wasn't disappointed.

Of course, this was the moment that the image of Naruto in a towel returned and Itachi knew he had to think about something else so that he could get a good sleep for tomorrow.

He could think about the course. Think about the next two days; think about how he could do better in this competition. If he had an optimum time and no faults here, he could well place higher in the scoreboards. If he jumped a quick, clear round, there was every possibility he could come in the top ten. A first place was idyllic, but most likely unreachable. Not that he wouldn't try, after all, anything could happen in the next couple of days.

Naruto moved around quietly in the bathroom, even though he knew Itachi was awake next door. He was glad that they had been able to work things out without anything becoming too awkward; it had gone off much easier than he thought.

He grinned as he brushed his teeth. Itachi had even said he was part of his team. The thought made the smile grow bigger and he leaned against the counter happily. He already had ideas of what he could do to cash in on Itachi's promise he made earlier.

He was thinking somewhere along the lines of asking Itachi to come stay with him and Sasuke. Sasuke would get over it eventually and would probably enjoy the quiet that Itachi brought with him. Sure he would rant that Naruto shouldn't have stayed but that would pass as well.

With the thought in mind, he rinsed out his mouth and placed his toothbrush back in its holder. He shut the light off and closed his door behind him. He'd call Sasuke tomorrow after he slept and had the chance to watch Itachi compete.

  
**.**  


Itachi woke to someone banging on his door and he rolled blearily out of bed, rubbing his eyes as he opened the door. Deidara stood on the other side, nose crinkled as he took in Itachi's appearance.

"Wow, you don't do mornings well at all do you?" Itachi hardly had time to protest when Deidara pushed past him, barging in and rummaging through the wardrobe.

"We're going straight from breakfast and I'm here to collect your laundry to they can wash it for us. I'm not touching your underwear though, I may be your oldest friend, but I don't love you that much." Deidara continued to root around, throwing clothing into a bag he had brought with him.

Itachi, still not quite awake yet, ran a hand through his hair, wincing as his fingers caught on tangles. He had slept in just pyjama shorts last night as it had been too hot for anything else and scratched his chest absently, wondering if Deidara would allow him a shower or he'd have to force the blond to let him.

A knock on the bathroom door suddenly diverted their attention as the door opened a crack, a head peeking through as Naruto was, no doubt, informing him he'd be using the bathroom.

"You know, if you would just use the laundry basket I wouldn't have to go into the bloody wardrobe. What is it with you and not following normal people rules?" Deidara backed out of the wardrobe with a pile of clothes, riding and other, in his arms. He beamed at Naruto. "Morning Naruto-kun!" he chirped and Itachi frowned. Deidara was all smiled with his fellow blond then.

Naruto blinked at the cheerful tone and pulled his gaze away from Itachi's body. It took a second to reply and even then it was hard to keep his attention focused on Deidara. His eyes wanted to track back to Itachi and after exchanging pleasantries with the blond, was finally able to look back at Itachi.

"I'm done in the bathroom. I heard the knocking and figured you'd need in soon." His eyes flickered over the body before him one last time and he smiled brightly. "All that aside, good morning."

With one last nod of the head to Deidara, he slipped out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. The bed squeaked at him as he flopped down on it and a low groan left his mouth. He wasn't about to forget that sight anytime soon. He rolled over onto his stomach and pushed his face into the pillow; not that he wanted to anyway.

Itachi sighed deeply, looking at Deidara and then the bathroom. Then it suddenly clicked; he was half naked. With his head hung slightly, Itachi trudged to the bathroom, very much aware that Naruto had seen him in his dishevelled sleeping state.

His shower was quick and Itachi exited the bathroom with one towel wrapped around his head and another on his hips. He'd always been teased by the manner of how he dried himself by, well, everyone, but Itachi didn't really care. His hair was annoying when wet. Deidara had vanished and Itachi was able to change into plain jodhpurs and a polo shirt. He'd change fully later.

Deciding to wait for Naruto, Itachi brushed through his wet hair and dried it with a hair dryer, tying it when he was done. He left his room and knocked on Naruto's door, waiting patiently.

Naruto's head poked out at the knock and with a grin he closed the door behind him. He refrained from asking Itachi if he was ready for the event today, knowing that plenty of people would be asking the same question.

Instead, he laced his hands behind his head and fell into step beside him. A comfortable silence stretched between them as they headed towards breakfast. Already, the smells of breakfast were floating through the hotel and Naruto felt his mouth watering slightly. Dinner seemed like ages ago last night.

"Do you need me to do anything for you today?" Naruto asked curiously.

Itachi shook his head slightly, "At the moment, just keep being yourself. It's going to be hell at the stables with all the tension in the air. The horses are highly strung before they're even tacked up." Itachi paused a moment, "You may want to take Wichita out for a while so that he doesn't get too stressed. Perhaps you could do that while Susanoo's warming up. I'd ask for you to join us warming up, but we're going to be focused on the task at hand and as it pains me to say, we'd leave you out." Itachi smiled apologetically, reaching the breakfast buffet and inhaling the smells of artery-clogging meats.

Not that he'd be eating them, though. He's stick to light foods, fruit maybe some cereal, yoghurt... the way his stomach would be later would just churn anything heavy and vomit it out.

Naruto nodded, understanding everything that Itachi had mentioned. He was already feeling high strung himself and he couldn't begin to imagine how Itachi and the horses were feeling. It was an awesome yet sickening feeling; that feeling of competition.

It had your heart racing at the simplest thoughts of your event and made you anxious. Yet nothing could beat the feel of excitement when you finished the course; no matter what happened out there.

He kept his meal simple too, knowing that he could make himself too edgy just by watching Itachi compete. It seemed almost silly, but at the same time, any other competitor could relate.

They finished breakfast up quickly, with Deidara and Kisame ushering them on. It was early still, around 7am by the time they left, but there was so much to do before the eleven o'clock start. Susanoo had to be groomed, tacked, warmed after being fed of course, Itachi had to walk the course with at least one member of his team (most likely Kisame as Deidara would be grooming Susanoo at this point) to discuss ideas with, as well as collect his medical band and check tack. Only then would he have to confirm entering with the judges and prepare to set off.

Naruto and Itachi left first, letting Deidara and Kisame check they had all they needed from the hotel. Ths ride to the arena was quiet, with Itachi staring out of the window for the journey.

When they reached the grounds, Naruto had to maneuver his way around the crowded fields to park his truck. Every eventing rider was arriving and were anxious to start getting ready for the day. He parked quickly and they made their way in silence to the stables, nodding to people that they knew.

The sounds of anxious horses filled the stables, their keen senses picking up on the excitement already. Naruto already had an idea where he would take Wichita to help him run out his energy and planned on staying with him for a while. It would give him something to do while Itachi worked and would keep him out of their hair.

He should probably call Sasuke as well before the male came back to chew him out himself. Not wanting that, Naruto added that to his mental to do list and greeted Wichita happily.

They pulled into the parking area, herding away from the main traffic to the pass-only section. People were beginning to crowd around, taking things from horseboxes and running around. The cross country section was the one where the most people could visit, the course stretching for miles, and was often the most exciting to watch. No doubt a lot of families would be out today to watch, posted on rugs around the public spots, fences off from the course.

Itachi took a deep breath and smiled at Naruto before getting out of the truck, walking over to the stables. He would tie up a haynet outside and let Susanoo eat that while he cleaned out her stable, then give her her full breakfast. Naruto could tie up Wichita alongside Susanoo and talk to each other through the walls as they skipped out the stables removing waste only and sprinkling a new carpet of straw. The proper clean would have to be done later when they had more time.

Itachi voiced his plans to Naruto and they both grabbed their horses' headcollars and dragged the horses out, Susanoo refusing more than Wichita.

"Your horse has a nicer disposition than mine," Itachi commented with a laugh, moving out of the way as Susanoo swung her hindquarters round, digging her heels into her box. Wichita snickered gently and Itachi watched with amusement as his horse's ear perked up and she stuck her nose out, seeking the bay.

After she had confirmed Wichita was there, Susanoo was happier to stand outside while Itachi brought in a wheelbarrow lipping at the haynets they had tied up earlier.

Around them , the yard was alive with preparations. Shouts from some people could be herd as well as the disapproval from others it garnered. There was always a few people who didn't understand that a calm morning would lead to a calmer horse.

Wichita nosed the haynet before plunging in happily. His hoof stomped at the noise around them and he paused in his eating to nudge Naruto in the side, asking what was going on.

Naruto laughed and rubbed the horse's nose. Next to him, Susanoo merely grunted at their actions and Naruto grinned. "And a good morning to you, pretty lady." He patted Wichita's neck and went back inside to clean out the stall.

It didn't take long before the stalls were clean and Naruto could enjoy fussing over Wichita. He talked happily with Itachi, telling him about the calf that he was raising on his own since the cow had died shortly after birth. Any type of talk about the upcoming event was ignored in favor of something else.

"He likes to head butt me when I'm trying to feed him. I can only imagine what the mom would feel like," Naruto finished and leaned down to check Wichita's hooves. For a moment, silence settled over them as he checked all four feet and cleaned them out with the pick.

When he stood back up, he rested his arms on Wichita's back, letting his eyes travel over Susanoo. She looked content as she was returned to the stable for breakfast. The feed was sorted out and both Naruto and Itachi gave their horses their usual feed, bolting the doors shut and taking their wheelbarrows to the muckheap when done.

Itachi let out a breath as they walked, squinting up to the sky. The day wasn't started yet and it was warming up. The cross country would be even worse in this heat.

On their way back from dumping the used hay and waste, Itachi talked to Naruto about the day a little more. "Kisame should be back by now so we can go look at the course again as soon as we get back. By the time that's done, Susanoo should have digested and be ready to warm up and then it's a change of tack where necessary and then onto the event.

"Have you decided what to do when I'm exercising?" Itachi felt a little put out at the prospect of having to let Naruto go for a while, but it really was needed.

Naruto nodded. "I'll probably take him out on one of the riding trails that are open during the year. The park outside of this is built for horses and their riders and I've always wanted to have the chance to ride one. They have lots of trails to choose from so I'll be busy for a while."

He would prefer to ride one with Itachi, but they wouldn't get the chance to do that until the end of the show. Naruto paused as he realized how his words sounded and he quickly turned back to Itachi.

"I'll be back before you the competition starts though, I really want to watch you and Susanoo jump. You two performed so well last night and I can't wait to see y'all take those larger jumps." He groaned to himself, realizing that he probably sounded like a gushing fan.

Itachi smiled to himself, glad that Naruto wanted to stay with him. The feeling was more than mutual, but Itachi could hardly take things anywhere with the competition looming over him.

By this point, they had reached the barn again and the other two members of the team were waiting. Deidara nodded in greeting before bustling off into their extra room where Itachi knew he'd be busy making sure everything was in order for later and, most importantly, sparkling clean.

They planned it so that Naruto would walk Itachi and Kisame to the cross country field before coming back for Wichita and going on his ride. Itachi and Kisame would then inspect the grounds, again, and Naruto would do whatever it was he wanted to, before they met up outside of Susanoo's stable later.

Walking alongside Itachi, Naruto listened in on the conversation between Itachi and Kisame. He didn't really understand what they were talking about, other than the jumps and something to do with timing, but he listened anyway.

He remembered Itachi yesterday as he stomped around on the ground, and he fought the urge to laugh, knowing that he'd probably be doing the same thing again today. He couldn't help but chuckle at picturing Kisame jumping around as well.

He stopped laughing as they approached the field and saw it filled with people, riders and officials alike. Figuring this was his time to take his leave, Naruto nodded to Itachi. He paused as he saw another rider stomping at the ground and his laughter came back. With as much control as he could muster, he wished Kisame and Itachi good luck on the walk and quickly trotted away before laughing.

The pair walked the course slowly, talking about different approaches and the layout. There were long stretched between some jumps where the horse would need to gallop to make the time. Without making the optimum time, they would be penalised for every minute over. On this course of a time limit for 22minutes, 11 was the optimum time. 30 jumps in 11 minutes on a course over 4 miles long? It meant that gallop was needed.

Kisame proved to be a useful partner when walking the course, even mentioning a few things Itachi hadn't thought of. The only thing was, Itachi felt his mind straying to thoughts of Naruto and what he was doing right now. A sunset ride sounded like magic again, though it most definitely wouldn't be happening tonight. Susanoo would need the rest after the effort she would put in here as well as go through two vet checks between now and the show jumping.

Itachi sighed, catching Kisame's attention. "I hate eventing."

Kisame chuckled loudly, drawing attention to them. "Sure you do, just as you say that at every event we go to. You know you don't mean that."

Itachi smiled, hitting Kisame lightly on the arm as they walked onwards. He really didn't mean it. There was something special in the rush of the events and the difficulty of the individual disciplines. The horse and rider were asked so much and it came together in three beautiful days, no matter how stressful they were.

  
**.**  


Naruto hummed to himself as he saddled Wichita and listened to Deidara fuss over the saddle in the room over. He never had to clean a English saddle before but from listening to the other male, it sounded difficult.

He set the heavy saddle on Wichita's back, making sure not to plop it down. The girth hung in the right place as he reached under the bay's belly and grabbed it. Tightening the cinch, he smacked Wichita behind the girth.

"Stop it you twit, I'm not going to fall for that again."

Wichita snorted at him and shifted his weight as the girth was tightened once again. Making sure that it was indeed tight, Naruto moved to the bridle and quickly slipped it over his head. He led the bay away from the stall, pausing to wave goodbye to Deidara.

Once out in the open, he took a deep breath and walked down one of the pathways leading to the edge of the ground. There was a gate that led to the outside trails and once they were clear of the heavy flow of people, Naruto swung into the saddle. Wichita pranced underneath him, ready for a good run.

He was definitely feeling all the energy in the air and Naruto kept him at a long walk before asking for a trot. They moved quickly through the grounds and by the time they reached the gate, Wichita was anxious for more. Naruto nodded to the attendant and walked through. Letting out a loud snort, Wichita jumped forward into a canter at Naruto's command and they took off through the tree filled path.

Minutes rushed by as they enjoyed each others company until Naruto pulled him down into a slow walk. Sweat darkened Wichita's coat and Naruto patted his neck as they moved into a clearing. Now would be a good time to call Sasuke. The other male would be up by now and was probably in a better mood.

He stopped Wichita in the clearing and let the horse sniff around on a loose rein while he called Sasuke. The male picked up after the first ring which made Naruto to believe that he had been waiting for his call.

"If you're not home by this evening, I'm driving back to get you myself. And then I'll kill you and bury your body near the edge of your land."

Naruto laughed. "They'll still suspect you Sasuke. I'll be back soon, I promise; have a little faith in me okay." He paused and scratched the back of his head. "I met this really awesome team and they're showing me the other side of riding. It's kinda cool."

Sasuke scoffed into the phone. "I rode English before Naruto, there is nothing cool about it. It's stuck up and full of arrogant people."

"You sound like a woman scorned," Naruto said with a frown on his face. "I'm thinking about inviting them down to visit; if not the whole team then the rider. I think once you met him you'll change your mind. He really cares for his horse and is nice too. Not once has he been stuck up to me."

Silence was heavy on the other line. "You sound like you really care for this rider." Sasuke murmured after a while. Naruto's blush spread across his face and he was glad that the other male couldn't see it. "Fine, I want to met this person of interest and see for myself. Bring him home with you."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Yes father." The dial tone met his ending remark and he knew that Sasuke was already planning on meeting his mystery friend now. Sasuke was oddly protective of him at times, making sure that people weren't out to take advantage of him.

Huffing at Sasuke's actions, Naruto turned Wichita back to the grounds. He didn't want to be late and miss anything. He'd ask Itachi about it later when the pressure wasn't so high and hope for the best.

  
**.**  


Deidara was, again, huffing about, waiting for Itachi to return from warming Susanoo up. Naruto hadn't been back by the time Itachi and Kisame had returned, so the Uchiha had decided to go ahead and take his horse out for a stretch and practice jump on one of the practice courses. It was only a couple of jumps, but it was useful as a practice.

Naruto had come back a little while ago and put his horse back in his box, making sure Wichita had enough water as it was looking like it could be a hot day. Deidara was walking outside Susanoo's box with Kisame leaning on the wall, shaking his head at the fuming blond.

"What part of 'I need to clean your horse' doesn't he understand!"

Kisame shook his head solemnly. "This is Itachi. He's like an elephant; he never forgets so quit your grousing. He'll be back in a moment."

Deidara mumbled something unintelligible before he perked up, pointing a finger to a man who had walked into the barn, leading a horse.

"Finally! Give me that horse now!"

Itachi handed his reins to Deidara, who made quick work of switching bridle for head collar. Kisame took off the saddle and took it indoors, collecting the bridle Deidara handed to him. These were Itachi's general tack, not the saddle he usually wore for competitions. Made of a lighter brown, they had a little more padding in than the competition saddles he used and so were comfier to be ridden in longer.

"You," Deidara said to Itachi, "Need to get in there and check you have everything. Naruto can help you, off you go!" Deidara pushed the two off, beckoning Kisame back to help bathe Susanoo and groom her. In this heat she had worked up a slight sweat and washing her would be a good idea before they competed.

Naruto looked around the spare stall before looking back towards Itachi. The older male was sweating slightly due to the heat and Naruto felt a trickle of sweat slide down his back. "What do you need to do?" he asked. His fingers itched to pull his shirt off and run around like that, but he had a feeling people here would frown at that idea. He wasn't at home, he reminded himself.

"I'm just going to change, but if you could possibly grab my hat, body protector and whip it would be very much appreciated."

Itachi turned back to the corner he was in, changing his plain stable clothing for neater, clean ones. He chose white jodhpurs and his cross country shirt, short sleeved and coloured black and red, his team's cross country colours. On top of the shirt would fit his body protector and then bib with his number on.

He turned round to Naruto, grabbing pins and a hairnet and pinning his hair up. "It makes me look odd I know, but I don't have the heart to cut my hair." Itachi thew Naruto a grin over his shoulder as he turned around, looking for something else.

"Boots, boots, boots," he murmured, wanting to exchange his short boots and chaps for long boots. They were located easily and Itachi slipped them on, rounding on Naruto again.

Itahci knew he was probably startling Naruto a bit, but it couldn't be helped. They would be competing in fifteen minutes, or at least lining up getting ready. Itachi wouldn't start probably until around twelve (at the earliest), but they needed to be prompt so they could stretch out more and get a scope of how others were working the course.

The yard was alive at the moment as Itachi strapped his body protector on and took his hat and crop from Naruto, thanking him.

Naruto nodded to Itachi and followed him out of the stall. He briefly looked at the other riders before turning his attention back towards Itachi. The other man was already heading towards Susanoo and Naruto quickly trotted over the to the mare.

She pushed her nose into his chest and he rubbed her forehead. She looked stunning in her tack, with her coat shining and her ears perked forward. "Good luck out there, pretty lady," he murmured softly as Itachi talked with Kisame and Deidara fused over him. He stroked her nose and closed his eyes. "Be safe on those big jumps. I want both of you to come back to me unharmed."

The mare snorted and nudged her nose more into his chest, as though she was trying to reassure him. He smiled and moved away from her as Itachi come closer towards them. His eyes danced with amusement as Itachi looked at him. "Giving her a pep talk," he exclaimed happily. "I do it to Wichita before we compete too, but he only listens if you speak to him in Pig Latin. It calms him down a bit."

Itachi smiled and rubbed Susanoo behind the ears, running fingers through her unplaited mane and surveying her tack. She looked good in the standard English ware and he had to admit that his team could do an amazing job when they wanted.

"I added the Irish martingale on to stop the reins slipping over her head," Kisame said, pointing to a piece of leather on two rings, looped onto both reins. He looked over Itachi once before commenting, "Where's your medical armband or whatever it is?"

Both men turned to look at Deidara and Itachi noticed Naruto following suit. Deidara seemed to know where everything was and the blond bustled into their room, coming back with Itachi's medical band and attaching it to the Uchiha's arm.

"Thank you Naruto," Itachi said as they walked towards the course. "You've been a great help with everything so far and I hope you enjoy this stage."

They walked off towards the course, joining other riders who were making their way there. A few people caught sight of the riders and cheered, cameras flashing pictures around them. Susanoo flicked her ears in interest, wondering where they were headed and whether it would be fun. Itachi noticed Naruto resting a hand on her neck, on the right hand side while he was leading her on the left, and he smiled. Naruto's attachment to his horse was endearing.

Itachi said goodbye to his team after making sure the registration desk had all his details. He was warned about the safety of the course and a steward asked to quickly measure the length of his crop, to check it was in regulation. With that done, Itachi was aware that some people had already set off on the course and wondered where members of his team were camped out at the moment.

That was the only problem with cross country; you could never quite got to see all of the jumps with one horse. It was still lovely to see the diversity of the mounts and riders though and how different horses took to different jumps.

Itachi turned to Susanoo and patted her neck. He mounted her and exited the holding tent he had been in, leaving the other waiting riders as a steward motioned for him to near the starting box. They would be setting off any moment now and Itachi decided to trot his horse round a moment, listening as they announced him and his horse.

Susanoo spun round, her muscles bunching as she entered the starting box. Itachi sat back, not wanting to set her off just yet, holding the reins tightly so that Susanoo knew not to begin yet. Beginning early would set off a slight penalty and Itachi wanted to avoid as many penalties as possible.

The steward next to them waited for the signal and Susanoo snorted, grey flanks quivering with energy as she wanted to set off. Itachi shushed her calmly, stroking her neck where his fingers met. Truth be told he was a nervous wreck, but he couldn't let it show. Once they were off they would both be fine, but they hadn't started yet.

The signal came over the speakers, and the steward nodded, allowing Susanno free as Itachi dug his heels in, moving his hands forward and clicking his tongue. They had to complete this course in eleven minutes to avoid penalties in time.

Like the thoroughbred she was, Susanoo galloped from the starting box, heading straight towards the first obstacle. The purpose of the first jumps was to give the horse feeling of the course - one that the rider knew but the horse had no idea of.

The first obstacle was the flower box and Itachi reined Susanoo in just before she lined up. She slowed slightly, ears pricking at the jump, before arching upwards, clearing the high jump and thundering on. Itachi came up from his jumping position, looking for the flags that would denote the next jump.

They were a while ahead, around a slight curve until a gazebo stood before them. On either side were two walls, giving the rider the option to jump either. As predicted, Susanoo landed a little more to the left than the right and Itachi lined her up quickly for the left hand side jump, clearing the tall 3'11" jump. This was the highest level at this stage of eventing and Susanoo was doing well so far.

The next two jumps required a slight loop of the circuit and the pair made quick work of number three - the mushroom shaped jump. A slight ditch was present on landing, but Susanoo didn't falter in her canter, bringing it back up to a gallop in a moment. She slowed as Itachi lined her up for the covered bridge and she snorted, charging forwards and jumping clean over the introductory set.

Itachi breathed deeply. They had four jumps down so far and Susanoo was doing soundly. She hadn't misplaced any feet so far or been near to clipping the jumps. She had been bold in jumping, especially as all of these had been the maximum height, and she was comfortable at the moment.

Of course, they still had twenty six jumps left, and a lot more ground to cover in not a lot of time.

Clicking his tongue again and digging his heel in a bit more, Itachi folded over as Susanoo brought her gait up to a faster canter, legs widening in their stride to cover more ground.

They were coming up to the offset angled rails, centred around a tree. The jump itself had two possible routes, much like the wall, in that you could go left or right, but you jumped two of them, curving round in a slight half-moon shape. This was a difficult one as the horse could easily run out here, causing a large penalty.

Itachi slowed Susanoo down, her attention fixed on the angled jumps. They cleared the first one, took a stride before clearing the second and then building the pace back up again.

The next jump was a tricky one again, there to test the bravery of horses and agility. It consisted of a rail and two wooden ducks, but there were two routes. The easier, but longer one, or the trickier, but quicker one. Itachi knew Susanoo could do the shorter route and so prepared himself, collecting the canter as they approched the railed fence.

Susanoo strayed a little as they entered, wiggling in her take-off and snorting heavily as they landed in water. It was a surprise to her, yet Itachi nudged her onwards steering her to the duck on a slight hill, sloshing through water. He sat back, waiting to be thrown slightly from the saddle before assuming a jumping position.

They cleared the second jump and headed towards the last duck, again uphill and causing Itachi to lean back, deeply in his seat. He offered a kick to Susanoo just to get her sure this was the path and to boost her confidence and they flew over the jump, soaring and landing neatly before setting off again.

There was a large stretch of land before the next jump and Itachi knew he had to gallop here, urging Susanoo on with a bit of leg and clicks of his tongue. He lengthened the rein as she responded, legs stretching and muscles shifting quicker, moving into a lengthy gallop.

The next jump, the walnut tables, was fairly simple and Susanoo breezed over them. The next pair of jumps were a slight challenge, especially as the ground dipped between them, and Itachi collected his horse's canter, making sure that she wouldn't run out.

These jumps were shaped like two cottages, angled and offset for a challenge. Susanoo jumped the first one and set up for the second, her head raising as they came into the jump. Itachi flicked the whip he held in his hand on her shoulder, reminding her to stay on path and she relaxed, flying over the second cottage and coming back up into a gallop once more.

The next jump, the Trakehner, was tall but straight forward and Susanoo flew over it neatly, before galloping round the curved stretch of land that would lead them to the next jump.

This one was a traditional jump found on lots of courses. It consisted of two jumps, a ditch between them. Itachi collected Susanoo nicely, slowing her right down as they jumped the first jump. She landed oddly, stumbling slightly as they moved down the hill and over the wide ditch and Itachi felt a refusal of the jump coming along. He sat tall in the saddle, clicking his tongue loudly and tapping her shoulder gently. With a tremendous muscle strain, Susanoo jumped the ditch, ran up the bank for a stride and cleared the jump nicely.

With a sigh of relief, Itachi gathered his reins in one hand, thumping the grey neck below him in a loving gesture. She snorted, bobbing her head and galloping onwards, over the thick grass and to the next jump.

The next jump was a favourite back home in England and Susanoo approached the large oxer with a spring to her step. These jumps were always very tall and very wide, making the horse work hard at take off and the jumping arc. They passed it nicely, setting a good pace.

People around cheered as the riders cleared their jumps and Itachi allowed a brief smile, urging Susanoo on. Even though these people had no idea really of who he was, or even for what country he rode for, they were cheering him and his horse on, clapping jovially when they passed them.

The next jump was a set of three, with brush on the top. Susanoo rode over them nicely, Itachi relaxing as she jumped up high and wide. In all the horses he had trained (his own and other people's), Susanoo had the most comfortable jump. Itachi was unsure whether this was because he had trained with her the longest or whether she was just remarkable in this trait, but her jump was always high and deep, back flexed nicely and both take-off and landing neat.

A sparsely wooded area played home to the next jump, a pile of logs that served as a wide galloping jump. Susanoo's approach was straight, her hooves thundering and she jumped over it nicely, landing and moving back to the gallop once again.

Itachi remembered the next jump clearly and prepared himself for Susanoo to stall a little. The jump leading into the set was a suspended log, slightly downhill which she cleared nicely, flicking her tail and looking to the brush fence. It was tall and the other side dropped down into water.

Susanoo jumped it, her ears flicking back as she noted the water instead of the ground. Itachi clicked her on, soothing her momentary disturbance and heading for the next jump. The rest of this bit was a difficult segment and required agility to make sure no run-outs were made.

Itachi steered Susanoo to the brush corner, keeping the canter short and bouncy. He let the rein lengthen as they approached, kicking her gently as they took off, propelling a little more energy into her jump as the water came up quickly.

They needed to make a turn here as they came out of the water, back the way they had exited. A log fence sat at the edge, which they needed to jump over and back into the water. Susanoo pulled a little on the rein contact as Itachi slowed her a bit more, keeping the canter going and moving her hindquarters round, engaging them for the jump. He then let her move forwards, jumping over the fence and into the water, through the water and then passing over a high brush fence, out of the water and surging forwards.

With that one done, they were just over halfway finished and Itachi patted Susanoo again, smiling at the effort she had put in so far.

The next double jump - the squirrels - looked easy enough until you realised their height. At 4'7" of brush and up hills, they were slightly difficult to run through. Susanoo stayed her track and Itachi thought he may have to circle legally for a moment before attempting the second jump, but she pushed forwards, making four strides between the giant squirrels and taking over the second one.

The next jump was a simple one, a little wide, but Susanoo cleared the Sheep Shelter with ease. The next jump, though, required a mass of skill and collection, as well as Susanoo trusting him beyond what she had so far.

It wasn't too difficult and Susanoo was engaged as she cleared the first jump - a rail fence. The next two jumps were steps, causing the pace to be slowed dramatically and Itachi to push his weight back, maintaining balance. His legs stretched as Susanoo leapt down, and then again for the second step.

With a heavy snort she pushed on comfortably, traversing up a hill to the last brush jump of the set and moving out of the jumps.

Itachi heard the whoops of the crows and pride grew within him. It was his horse that was doing this, the one he had helped birth and raise. She was an amazing horse and wherever they came in this competition Itachi would be proud of her, more than he ever had been.

The next jump was simple, though it looked scary. It was named the Dray and was a bright blue in colour, wheeled and standing bold against the scenery. Susanoo's ears flickered before she renewed the impulsion in her pace, taking the jump easily and moving to the corner brush jump.

Itachi felt the prickles of the brush against his leg a little and knew that Susanoo was beginning to tire. They had been at a constant gallop-canter for the whole course and only had seven more jumps to go. It was here that horses started to tire and even the best jumpers could fall.

Itachi slowed the gallop a little, allowing Susanoo some time to gather more energy for the jumps. Failing at a jump cost more points than being over the time limit and so Itachi was more inclined to let her ease off a little than force her to run ragged.

A brush jump was in front of them with a wide ditch before it. This jump caused for a large spread and the grey mare launched herself wide, Itachi folding neatly with his hands moving forwards to accommodate the stretch of Susanoo's neck. Upon landing they were off again, galloping forwards into the final sets of jumps.

The next jump had a massive 6'6" spread wide and Itachi knew he needed to push Susanoo to deliver the wide jump. She wobbled a little in resistance as Itachi kicked her on, but dipped her head when he kicked again. She understood what was asked, even if she was a little grouchy about it. They moved over the jump wide, a little sloppy on the exit of the jump but still they had cleared it nicely.

They would be entering the home stretch after the next jump, the Normandy Bank. Susanoo's canter slowed down as Itachi forced spring into her step, easing on the bit and sitting tall. She responded fully, head tucking in as they moved towards the jump.

As they took off for the step-jump, Susanoo was allowed a longer rein and she pushed upwards, settling in the bank and then moving over the next jump, the rail at the top of the short hill. She picked up pace as they moved down the hill and Itachi jerked the reins a little to slow her as they came into the cabin-shaped jump.

The next part of the course was the home stretch, where it was important to keep up pace and correct the horse's line. Running out here would be devastating to the score as the horse would be tired and building up a good pace take even longer.

A nice introduction to the home stretch was the wide wattle and daub cottages, which Susanoo cleared. Itachi felt her resisting the jump a little and knew a refusal could take place. When she was tiring, Susanoo had a tendency to bring out her inner mare, the most stubborn and unruly mare you could imagine.

The wattle and daub led nicely to two brush fences and it was here some people found their horse running out. They had to be taken at a slight angle and Itachi felt Susanoo veering to the left. He had prepared for this, keeping his stick in his left hand, and tapped her on the shoulder, keeping her line in check.

It seemed to work and Susanoo cleared the first brush jump. Itachi felt hesitance in the second jump and he leant forwards slightly, clicking his tongue and pushing her forwards with a bit more leg. Susanoo fought a moment, skipping strides in her canter, but Itachi insisted and she took-off, the landing a bit heavier than it was and Itachi slipping sideways slightly, but he corrected his seat and they rode onwards.

With two more jumps left, Itachi pushed Susanoo into the gait she was famous for, forcing the thoroughbred instinct in her. Her nostrils widened as she moved across the ground, thundering towards the Hedge jump, past thick trees and sailing over the wide spread.

Itachi felt her slow a little and allowed it, seeing the last fence just up ahead. Susanoo saw it too and she moved gracefully, jumping the fence and passing the finishing marker.

Cheers errupted around them as they moved past the fenced area, galloping changing down to a canter and Susanoo's reins lengthening. Itachi steered Susanoo over to where his team would be waiting, slowing her to a trot and letting her muscles stretch after the long run she had faced.

Slowing to a walk, Itachi slipped off of the grey while she was still moving, her sides heaving as she sucked in air. Itachi could see other horses around them in various states of recovery, some cooling down and some being led back to their stalls.

Kisame unstrapped the saddle quickly, removing it and allowing Deidara to throw some water over Susanoo's back. It was important that they cool her down properly, otherwise she could damage herself after the strenuous course she had run.

"Get the ice boots," Itachi said as he continued to walk her round, Deidara pulling one of many hoses available along and washing Susanoo's back.

Itachi smiled as Naruto approached them, handing the blond the reins for a moment. "Hold her a second please," he said hurriedly, crouching down to unfasten the boots Susanoo had worn through the event.

Kisame returned with the boots and they strapped them on, the ice inside helping to cool Susanoo down quickly to prevent any swelling or injuries that may have occurred from the hard course. They were strapped on quickly, with Deidara still hosing her down, and Itachi took off his hat, smiling at Naruto - who was walking round with Susanoo gently.

Naruto's eyes looked over Susanoo, checking her for any faults that might be present. If she was limping or had any swelling, it needed to be brought to attention right away. So far, she seemed to be walking fine, listening to him talk quietly to her. No doubt Itachi was always watching the mare as well and Naruto made sure to keep the walk slow but constantly moving.

He praised the mare as they continued to walk around the grass. His hand brushed over the sweaty coat, checking to see if it was still warm to the touch and was glad that it was a little cooler.

They moved back towards Itachi and Naruto could feel the dark eyes glancing at him before moving towards Susanoo. She sighed at him and Naruto laughed, patting her neck with a smile. He knew she probably just wanted to stand still, but it was better to keep her moving for now.

"I'm proud of you pretty lady," he muttered softly next to her ear as they walked closer to Itachi. "You looked wonderful out there. I don't remember seeing any other horse go by but you."

Susanoo shook her head out happily and Itachi watched as Naruto smiled. Itachi held a headcollar and slipped it around the grey mare's neck, removing her bridle and then fastening the red strap. A lead rope was clipped onto a lower rung and Itachi led her away for a moment, signalling to a steward to inform one of the vets that Itachi was ready to be looked at.

The vet came over, running his eyes critically over Susanoo and then running over her body with his hands. He asked Itachi to walk and then trot the thoroughbred, which he did, and then received a nod for.

"She's fine and can go back to her stable to cool down properly." Itachi nodded his thanks and returned to his team to let them know the news. It meant that she hadn't injured herself out on the course and that was in the all clear to have a well-deserved rest.

  
**.**  


The words of Susanoo's health made Naruto sigh with relief. Every nerve in his body was slowly beginning to relax after being so high strung during the eleven minutes that Itachi and Susanoo were on the course.

Finally unable to resist temptation, Naruto tossed his arm around Itachi's shoulder to give him a one armed hug. When he pulled back he grinned widely. "That's how my team celebrates a good ride. Well, with the exception of the one, who tries to punch you if you touch him." He laughed and then peeked up. "It was a good ride right?"

Itachi couldn't help it. He smiled at Naruto before slinging an arm round Naruto's shoulders, hugging him one-armed. "It was very good. She was a little off at times, but it's to be expected. We'll take her back and then go to the scoring tent to see how I did. They won't have placements up until later, but we can get a rough estimate of how well we did."

Itachi was aware his arm was still around Naruto's shoulder and yet it felt completely natural. Susanoo walked beside him, content in plodding along after her long ride.

They reached the barn and entered, the cool air a relief on their warm skin. Itachi's arm finally slipped from Naruto as he moved to unbolt Susanoo's stable door, pulling gently on the lead rope. When she didn't move, Itachi turned round and laughed as he saw her sticking her head right into Wichita's box.

"I think she missed him," Itachi commented, walking to join the rest of the group. Wichita walked over, pushing the mare from his stable and butting Itachi, clearly blaming him for the invasion of privacy. Susanoo whickered, flipping her lip over and bobbing her head, almost as if she was laughing at Itachi.

Naruto chuckled at the horses actions and reached out to stroke his horse's neck, playing with the rough mane. "Silly boy," he cooed as Susanoo moved away and walked back into her stall. "Play nice so I can convince them to come home with us for a while," he muttered to the bay, keeping his voice low so Itachi couldn't hear.

His body felt warm where Itachi had his arm around his shoulder and he wondered if he could get him to do it again. The rumbling in his stomach tore his thoughts away and focused instead on when he was going to eat next. If it was just him and Itachi eating lunch again, they'd have another fight to see who would pay.

It made him laugh and he moved over to the next stall where Itachi was taking care of Susanoo. The barn was quiet, with only the faint hum of conversation lingering in the background as Naruto rested his arms on top of the stall door.

Itachi exited the stall and moved to the little room to change. He exited in the clothes he had been wearing that morning and nodded to the barn door.

"My lovely team members will take care of the horses, would you care for some lunch after we check my standings? Most places around here will be empty as the eventing's still going to carry on a while." Itachi started walking, falling into stride with Naruto.

It was amazing to think that, just a short while ago, this was the man who had been blocking his way to his horse, stating that the mint he wanted to give as a treat was, in fact, a drug. He smiled a little at the thought.

It then occurred to Itachi that they only had one more day together. After the show jumping, Itachi would return to his family and stud and Naruto would return to his ranch. They could stay in contact - it was very easy to do that - but Itachi didn't want to just stay in contact. Naruto made him feel something, even interest in Western riding, which he had never been.

Naruto nodded. "Lunch would be great. I have a suggestion too for you, from last night." He squinted as they stepped into the sunlight again before moving down the hill towards the results.

He could feel Itachi's gaze on him, silently asking him what it was that he wanted to say. He stayed silent for a while longer until the anticipation finally beat him and the words spilled out before he could stop them.

"Would you like to come back to Texas with me for a while once you're done? I have extra space in my trailer for Susanoo and we could go riding when we get back. There's lots of space for her on my ranch too and the cattle won't bother her."

Naruto could feel the tips of his ears growing warm and he quickly stuttered to finish. "Deidara and Kisame can come too if they wanted. The ranch is big enough for all y'all to stay there." He paused briefly and plowed forward again. "And don't worry about saying no, I'd understand completely."

Itachi blinked, pausing in his walk. Had Naruto really just offered to let him stay or had he imagined it? "Sorry?" Itachi said, turning to see a slightly pink Naruto. Though that could be the sun...

"Don't worry," Naruto said quickly and Itachi knew that the offer had been a real one.

"Well, if the offer's still standing I would love to take you up on it. I can't speak for Tweedledum and Tweedledee," Itachi said, referring to his team members, "But it would be a wonderful thing. Are you sure though?"

Itachi waited for Naruto to turn round and say he was joking, but instead he smiled.

"Absolutely sure," Naruto said with a large smile. "Wichita and I will love the company on the drive back and I can't wait to show you the ranch. I think you'll like it." Naruto practically beamed and reached out to grab Itachi's hand, pulling them to towards the results.

He was excited that Itachi had agreed to come back home with him and finally turned around outside of the tent with the results. "Thank you," he said honestly. "That makes me really happy."

They walked together quietly, both with smiles on their faces. Neither Deidara nor Kisame said anything when they met up with them, instead walking with them to the scoring tent, discussing some of the jumps they had been able to see Itachi take and how Susanoo had done. While there weren't points for form in this stage, there was a degree of horsemanship and the riding had to be safe.

They got to the tent and Itachi showed his rider number, and someone pointed to the scoreboards going up at the side. Itachi looked at it in disbelief, not quite believing how well they had done.

He exited the tent to face his team, silent.

"You were eliminated?" Deidara guessed, breaking the sudden silence.

Itachi shook his head. "I was over by one second. That was my only fault."

Kisame and Deidara were shocked by the revelation. "That means you scored 0.4," Kisame muttered shaking his head.

Deciding to help Naruto out, Itachi turned with a grin, hastening to explain. "For every second you go over the optimum time they want you to ride, you get a fault of 0.4 on your score. If you have no other problems, like refusal to jump, circling the jump, overtaking unsafely, etc., then you will simply add that to 0." Itachi looked back at the tent. "The only people who can beat a score of 0.4 are the people who had no faults at all and scored a 0."

Naruto nodded in understanding. "Does that happen a lot? Scoring a zero?

Itachi considered the answer. "It's very circumstantial to the course really. It depends on how hard the course is, the weather, the ground condition, what the optimum time is..." Itachi stopped himself, realising he was rambling. "At this level it's definitely not uncommon for a few people to score a zero, though it does depend on a number of factors."

"Okay, that makes sense," Naruto stated and looked at some of the other riders who were walking by them. He tried to judge their faces, wondering what their scores were but ended up drawing a blank.

He kept his mouth silent this time, not wanting to ask the imposing question. He felt as though that right went to either Kisame or Deidara even though he was itching to ask himself.

His eyes glanced up at the sky, trying to find something to take his mind off it before he just blurted out the question. But he really wanted to know how Itachi was doing now in the standings.

Itachi could see Naruto wrestling with a question and he wondered if it was the offer to stay at his ranch. Looking at the indecision, Itachi decided to grab the bull by the horns and see if he could ease some of Naruto's discomfort.

"We've been invited to Naruto's ranch," was all he said and instantly Deidara perked up, head shooting over to Naruto.

"A ranch ranch? As in where you ride Western-ranch?" Itachi could tell Deidara was genuinely excited, yet Naruto looked as if the man was about to tease him. "I've always wanted to stay on a ranch! Ever since the little lightning boy went all western I've been looking for someone to play shoot-out cowboys and indians in the gallop fields."

Deidara realised what he'd said then and closed his mouth slowly. "Not that I've ever done that.

Naruto looked back at Itachi to see if Deidara was being serious or if he was subtly poking fun of him. When the elder male shook his head, Naruto relaxed and let a grin spread across his face. "Well, I'm sure we can find someone who would be willing to play that. If not, then I know a friend with a paintball field. We like to get together on Sunday mornings and play."

He paused in thought. "You and Kisame would probably have to room together; would that be a problem at all? I'm fine with giving up my room, but my roommate is not so generous. But he is very anxious to meet y'all."

Itachi shrugged, "We'll sleep wherever. You're giving us a wonderful opportunity and you're doing so much for us. I'm sure we'll get along with this friend of yours, if he can forgive us for stealing you away for a few days."

Maybe Naruto could buy some tea on their way to Texas. There had to be at least one shop there that sold some decent tea, and maybe a kettle. Did Naruto own a kettle?

"Do you own a kettle?" Itachi asked. Deidara and Kisame understood the question at once, especially as they knew how Itachi was with tea, and so simply nodded, looking at the confused Naruto.

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Not really," he said. "Do you need one? Cause it would be no problem stopping to get one." He tried to think back to the stores around his ranch, wondering if they had kettles there.

If not, he could always send Sasuke out to get one. He knew he'd have to give Sasuke something in return. More than likely, he'd end up sleeping on the couch then rooming with Sasuke. Which wouldn't be bad since the couch was comfortable, but it was always fun pushing Sasuke's buttons.

"I'll ask my roommate. He might have one; he used to drink a lot of tea when he roomed with me then gradually stopped."

Itachi couldn't fathom living without tea and knew he was being looked at, eyes staring off into the distance and body perfectly still. It certainly wasn't as good as sex, but Itachi had definitely been in the position where he would have preferred a good cup of tea to certain bed partners.

Shaking his head, Itachi asked if Deidara and Kisame were going to join them. Deidara shook his head.

"I'm going to ring home and tell them how you're doing. Your uncle will want to know, I told you he's got bets on you going against the other GB competitor in our area right?"

Itachi nodded, remembering Deidara talking about it for hours. Deidara talked about everything for hours, but he'd been particularly gleeful about this one, stating that Itachi should win no matter what.

Once Deidara and Kisame prepared to leave watching as Naruto slid up to Itachi's side and poked him carefully in the side. Temptation was there and he couldn't resist. Poking him more as he moved up Itachi's body, he circled around the still body until he reached Itachi's chest and gave it one last poke.

"I think I broke him," he muttered softly. He watched Itachi's lips twitch a bit as the male tried to hold his composure. Naruto smirked and stood on his tip toes until they were almost eye level. "Should I leave him here and go roll around on his bed, or would it be nicer for me to try and fix him."

Itachi couldn't keep his composure anymore and crouched down, thankful for his training at home, lifting hay bales and riding every day. He was able to lift Naruto up, over his shoulder and straighten, albeit a tad wobbly.

Naruto's laughter rang around them and Itachi felt himself joining in, stumbling and letting the blond back down. They leant against each other, heads almost pressed together, eyes closed in mirth.

"Do you ever get the feeling you're not really welcome anymore?" Kisame muttered to Deidara, walking away from his oldest friend and his newest. Deidara hovered for a moment before he turned away, a smile on his lips.

"You know what Kisame, if they don't get together soon, I'm going to help them." Deidara grinned, winking at his tall friend.

"Should we go get something to eat?" Naruto asked quietly. His head had fallen forward to rest on Itachi's chest and he could feel the steady heartbeat. He really didn't want to move, preferring instead to just stand close to Itachi like this and enjoy the smell of horse and hay that clung to his clothes.

Finally his grumbling stomach forced him to step away with a laugh. It seemed as though it would speak for them and it demanded food. He pulled out his keys and they walked to the truck, trying to decide where to eat for lunch.

They settled on a place that served light sandwiches and climbed into the truck once more. It was a short drive, in which Naruto told Itachi about the many horses that stayed at the ranch, from the ones he owned to the ones that were boarded there.

He pulled into the parking lot and killed the engine, happily jumping out. The smell of fresh bread filled his nose and he trotted up to the door, ready to eat.

Their stay was short and they exited with happy stomachs. Over lunch they had debated what to do next. Itachi had stated that they didn't need to go back just yet and so the conversation had turned to what they should do.

They ended up choosing the cinema and Naruto selected the film, stating that he'd wanted to see it for a while. Itachi had agreed; one good thing about American releases was that they were almost always before English ones. A good way to see films that he had been waiting to come out for ages.

They settled in with their popcorn, Naruto munching away despite them just having eaten. Itachi grabbed a handful, his fingers narrowly missing Naruto's. For some reason that bothered him a lot and more popcorn was eaten in an attempt to 'accidentally' brush Naruto's hand.

As the movie progressed, Naruto found himself sinking lower and lower into the chair. He knew he shouldn't have suggested to see a horror movie that dealt with ghosts, but he thought it wouldn't be too bad.

His hand grabbed the armrest, bumping into Itachi's arm and within moments, his fingers were laced with Itachi's. They were given a reassuring squeeze and for a moment, it helped take the edge away. Until the ghost suddenly popped up in front of the camera and screamed, its mouth filled with bloody entrails.

Naruto swallowed the scream that threatened to leave his mouth as his hair stood on end. He leaned over and pushed his face into Itachi's chest. "Tell me when its over," he muttered.

Itachi wasn't exactly looking at the screen, but from the gasps around he gathered that the ghost was still onscreen and being a usual demonic, ghostly haunt.

"No it's not, but it's okay, it's not real." Itachi shifted, moving the popcorn out of the way and putting one of his arms around Naruto fully. Naruto burrowed deeper into Itachi's chest, hiding from the screen.

Looking at his free arm, Itachi knew that he was going to have to embrace Naruto fully. It was the noble thing to do, stop Naruto from being able to see something he didn't want to and Itachi smiled to himself as he ended up cuddling the blond, pulling him slightly in and leaning over in return.

While he didn't see anything of the film, Itachi concluded that this would be the best film he'd ever seen and all because of Naruto and his hatred for ghosts.

A gruesome howl escaped the ghost and Naruto jumped, jerking in Itachi's arms.

"It's alright Naruto. You're safe," he said and one of his hands moved to stroke Naruto's hair. It was soft, silky smooth and Itachi wished they could stay like this forever. The undeniable scent that accompanied Naruto entered Itachi's senses and he let himself breathe in the very essence of Naruto; horses, hay and something that Itachi renamed as sunlight.

The soft fingers running through his hair took his mind away from the last image he'd seen of the ghost and he sighed. Naruto let the sound of Itachi's heartbeat drown out the screams coming from the movie and by the time it was over, he was almost asleep.

A gentle hand shook him awake and Naruto huffed, trying to push more into the warmth. He felt Itachi's chest vibrate as he laughed and finally Naruto pulled back with his own sheepish smile.

Without a word, he jumped to his feet and pulled Itachi out of the chair. No words were mentioned on Naruto's fear of ghost or when he spun around in the sunlit day with out stretched arms. The ghost couldn't go in the sun and it made enough logic to Naruto that out here, he'd be okay.

Itachi couldn't keep the smile off of his face as Naruto pulled them from the theatre with a determined look on his face. They wouldn't speak of this ghost and Itachi wouldn't tell Naruto it had been the best film of his life.

Maybe back at Naruto's ranch Itachi could convince Naruto to watch a film, forgetting it had a ghost in? Maybe not, that wouldn't be fair on Naruto. It would be like telling Itachi there was no tea left.

"It's getting late, shall we go back to the yard?" Itachi looked sideways to Naruto, noticing how close the blond was. Slowly he wrapped his arm around Naruto's shoulder, leaning into him as they walked back to the truck.

Both of them thought about the question for a moment. A ride out like the night before was out of the question as Susanoo was down for resting and a light walk to stretch later, and neither felt like returning to the hotel just yet.

An idea formed in Naruto's mind as he started the truck and he aimed the truck back towards the grounds. He could feel Itachi's curious gaze on him as they drove in silence but he didn't answer the questioning eyes.

The grounds were almost empty when the pulled into the parking lot and Naruto hopped out of the truck. Without a word, he set off to the stable with Itachi walking a step behind and still not sure what they were going to do.

Naruto stopped outside of Wichita's stall and waited for Itachi to join him. With a grin, he patted the soft coat and looked at Itachi. "Let's go for a ride. We can double."

Itachi shook his head. "I'll break your horse."

Itachi had no idea how to ride Western and while the concept of doubling up seemed like fun, he wasn't that sure Wichita liked him all that much. Especially to allow him to ride on his back. Plus, not knowing anything about Western, Itachi would likely end up clutching at Naruto as they rode through the specialised gaits, unsure of the odd kilter they gave the rider.

Itachi looked into the stall and saw the beautiful bay. He was tall, not quite as tall as Susanoo, and stocky. There was no doubt he'd be able to handle them both on his back with ease, but there would be some way that Itachi would damage Naruto's horse, and then Naruto would hate him forever.

Naruto chuckled and let himself into the box, Wichita greeting him with a light head butt. "Wichita will be fine, he's strong enough to hold us both. I promise. Besides," Naruto paused to pull Itachi in the stall. Wichita's ears perked up and his nose reached out to sniff Itachi's shirt. "I know he likes you."

The bay let out a deep sigh after inhaling the scent from Itachi and he lipped at the fabric lightly. His head swung to Naruto before moving back to Itachi with a content sigh and a lazy flick of his tail.

Itachi brought his hand out slowly, rubbing between Wichita's eyes. He moved down the long face, scratching between the horse's nostrils and smiling as he lipped at his fingers. Itachi remembered the Polo mints in his pocket then and turned to Naruto.

"May I give him a polo?"

Naruto looked confused for a second before he chuckled, no doubt remembering the last time they had polos between them. He nodded and Itachi took out the little pack, folding back the wrapping and placing one in his flat hand.

Wichita looked at the mint curiously for a moment before snorting, moving over Itachi's hand and picking the sweet up with his tongue. A moment later thick crunching was heard as it gained the bay's seal of approval.

"I'm sorry if I was rude when we met. Everything gets a little stressful and... well I was rude," Itachi offered, apologising for something that had been bothering him for a while now.

Naruto brushed the apology to the side as he ran fingers through the mane. "It's okay, I wasn't exactly the most polite person either when we first met. You had every right to be mad at me when I accused you of trying to hurt Susanoo."

His hand bumped against Itachi's as he moved closer to the male and he grabbed it, squeezing it. "But if it helps, I forgive you." He grinned and moved out of the box to grab his grooming supplies, pausing to give Susanoo a quick pat on the neck when she poked her head out.

He returned back with the bridle tossed over his shoulder and a bucket in the other hand. With a grunt, he set the bridle on the door and led Wichita out. "Would you rather ride him around first by yourself or just double from the start?"

Itachi paled at the thought of riding alone and going through the Western motions. He was a more than capable rider and it wasn't a matter of him falling off, rather it was getting the Western part wrong and having that shown in front of Naruto. He had been trained to only be the best he could be, going through rigorous dressage training from an early age and learning to sit like the best of the riders. It had been expected, and he'd followed.

Western itself was a completely new game. It was a more relaxed seat, a slower pace and a different way of life. As silly as it sounded, Itachi wasn't sure he was ready to relax just yet, or at least on his own.

"I'd... prefer to ride with you..." Itachi started, glancing over to where Susanoo was lounging over the side of her door, eyes closed and relaxed. Naruto chuckled, no doubt catching the look of earning he had thrown at the grey mare.

"That's fine too, whatever you're comfortable with." Naruto dropped the brush into the bucket and moved to check Wichita's feet. "I'm not looking for any perfect seat from you, I know it's not what you ride."

Naruto leaned up and grinned. "I just want you to have fun."

Without another word, he slipped the bridle into the bay's mouth and tightened the straps. Wichita behaved this time and soon everything was resting snugly on the horse. Naruto did a once over, making sure it was proper for Itachi before leading the horse down the aisle.

Itachi followed the pair, hoping Naruto would be taking them somewhere away from people. Wichita was a lovely horse, though Itachi found himself focusing more on Naruto than inspecting how he was to approach this Western riding.

Naruto was talking to his horse, smiling at the gelding and patting him affectionately. It was a rare thing to see around here. That wasn't to say that people didn't love their horses or treat them, but at this stage of the competition, it became more stressful. Horses were often left to the grooms, riders staying away from the yard of plunging themselves into tasks to keep busy. Naruto seemed so relaxed, so carefree in the midst of chaos around them.

Blue eyes glanced around the grounds, looking for a place where they could ride without a lot of people. It helped that there weren't many people around right now but a secluded area would be better. Finally, he settled on the path that wrapped around the grounds. Rarely anyone rode there and Naruto had used it himself to exercise Wichita when they first arrived.

He turned around and motioned for Itachi to come walk beside so they could talk while they walked. Wichita nickered low in his throat when the other male came up beside them and Naruto ran a hand over his neck.

Trees started to cover the path and Naruto stopped Wichita next to a rock that was large enough for mounting. "We'll start here and just take it easy." He said as he stepped up on the rock and gave a small hop. Once he was settled on Wichita's back, he held out his hand to Itachi.

Itachi stood up on the rock, glad that Wichita wasn't as tall as Susanoo. mounting bareback was hard anyway, but with another person on it was a little trickier.

Holding onto Naruto's outstretched arm a little and resting his other hand on Wichita's back, Itachi swung his leg over, hoisting up onto the bay's back. The motion set Wichita forward a pace and Itachi's eyes widened, his arms gripping Naruto's waist and head tucking against the blond's shoulders.

Itachi eventually sat up, his legs swinging at the odd position he was in. Instead of sitting in the normal position, he was pushed back onto Wichita's spine, nearing the hindquarters. Naruto was positioned a little more on his horse's shoulders and together they fit nicely (if a little uncomfortably) on the Quarter Horse.

Unseen by Itachi, Naruto's smile grew as Itachi's arms wrapped around his waist. He liked the warm press of Itachi's chest against his back. It sent tingles down his spine and he wanted nothing more than to turn his head around and capture Itachi's lips.

He kept himself in line though and urged Wichita into a slow walk so they could get a better feel of riding together. At the same time, he also watched his horse carefully, making sure that the bay was comfortable with their combined weight.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, tilting his head back slightly.

Itachi thought for a moment before coming up with an acceptable answer. "Strange," he admitted, referring to the fact Naruto was a very comfortable person to wrap oneself around. Naruto would probably think he was meaning the position on Wichita though.

Itachi burrowed his head into Naruto's shoulder for a moment, inhaling shallowly so Naruto didn't catch onto his master plan. Seduction was a very complicated process and, generally, the English weren't all that good at it. Itachi would attempt to prove them wrong, but it would take time and gentle prodding.

Removing his head from Naruto's shoulder, Itachi took in the scenery around them. A few other people were milling around, but too far to see any distinguishing features. They had come out of the main grounds and onto one of the tracks provided that would loop round, providing a scenic walk. All in all, it was a lovely area that catered to a multitude of horses and abilities.

Naruto hummed and let his free hand move back to pat Itachi's leg. "It'll get better, I promise." He gave the thigh a gentle squeeze. "Shall we trot?"

He felt the head nod and Naruto urged Wichita into a slow trot. The beginning steps were rough until the pace smoothed out a few steps later. Naruto's body relaxed into the familiar feeling and let his body ride out the gate, his hips moving with the horses body.

Itachi had gripped Naruto's waist a little tighter as the trot initiated, but it settled quickly and he moved automatically, his hips moving forwards to the time of the beat. It was such a natural movement for him, unless he was in dressage training, but he never did dressage bareback.

Rising bareback on a horse was harder, obviously, than if one had stirrups. With stirrups and a saddle, the rider could keep the position more or less the same, keeping the leg in check with the stirrups and the seat neat in the saddle. Without that, though, there were certain issues. For one, the rise was harder and you had to wait for the horse's natural gait to settle a little before using the moment the horse moved forwards to push off. With that, the hips could establish rhythm, though it was harder to maintain than in the usual rising trot.

Itachi, however, had forgotten that he wasn't alone and riding with someone else. Rising to the trot bareback did not guarantee the seat would stay settled and often Itachi found himself slipping forwards.

Which was exactly what he found happening here. He didn't want to grip his legs as this would cause Wichita to quicken the pace (which in turn would worsen the oncoming problem), but there was nothing Itachi could do to stop himself coming down and pressing against Naruto.

Naruto swallowed the moan that threatened to escape his mouth as Itachi's hips rolled into his ass. It made his mind erupt with perverted thoughts and he tried to keep them in check as best he could. He could feel his own hips rolling back to meet Itachi's against his will and his hands tightened on the reins.

The thought to move into a canter crossed his mind, even though the transition would be weird. He shifted his weight and he felt Itachi's arms grip him tighter as he signaled Wichita for a canter. His free hand came up to grasp one of Itachi's arm and he squeezed it to ease any worries Itachi might have.

Itachi's thigh clenched as the transition began and caused the horse under him to snort. He apologised in his mind, making a mental note to always treat the bay to polos when he say him.

The canter was rocky at the start, Wichita's striding different to the racehorse pace he was used to. As a thoroughbred, Susanoo's was long, fast and smooth. As a Quarter Horse and slightly more set at the shoulders, the canter strides were shorter, took a little longer to settle properly and then had a slight more bounce in them.

Itachi couldn't help it anymore. He was fully pressed against Naruto, attempting to keep his mind from wandering down the perverted road it was willing to run to. It was working - just - and it was from thinking of the terror that tomorrow would bring and a number of scenarios involving people he really didn't like in that particular manner.

But Naruto was really making it hard. Wichita wasn't helping either and Itachi was almost convinced they had teamed up against him. Of course, the rational side of his mind told him it was just a ride, but still. Sometimes thoughts had a mind of their own.

As they continued down the trail, Naruto asked Wichita to pick up his speed. They eased out of a speed that was normal for shows and into a pace that they enjoyed more. His hand grabbed a chunk of mane as Wichita's legs ate the ground below them.

Naruto wanted to ask for a gallop but he figured that'd be pushing things and instead settled with the fast paced canter they were riding in. He felt laughter bubble from his throat and it escaped his lips. He hadn't felt this good in a while and he loved the feeling of Itachi's body pressed so tightly against his.

Itachi could feel Naruto's chest shudder as he laughed and closed his eyes at the sensation. He spread his hands a little, leaning against Naruto's back and pushing them both forwards. Their weight shifted on Wichita and the horse added a little more pace, pricking his ears up.

The laughter rang in his ears now, having leant close enough that his head was resting pretty much next to Naruto's. It didn't take long before his own laughter joined in, hands relaxing and slipping down a little.

Itachi almost jumped when Naruto took his hand, placing it on the reins and then enclosing his hand over. Itachi looked down as Naruto made sure he was holding onto the reins, tanned fingers resting over Itachi's pale ones. While the contact was innocent, little tingles exploded along Itachi's fingertips and he smiled at the feeling, hooking his fingers so that they entwined Naruto's with his.

They continued along the path, each with a smile on their face that no one else could see. By now, the grounds were almost empty and those that remained were near the inside of the grounds. And while Naruto wanted to keep going, he could feel Wichita tiring and he pulled back on the reins.

The bay eased into a jerky trot before dropping into a walk. His sides heaved slightly and his coat was darkened with sweat. But his ears were perked and his head was still held high, proud of his accomplishment. It wasn't easy carrying to riders for such a long ride at a high pace.

Naruto cooed to the horse, muttering praise and love to Wichita. He lengthened the reins to let the bay relax a bit more and turned around to look at Itachi over his shoulder. The usually pale face was tinted red from the crisp night wind and he could see the dark eyes dancing with excitement.

"How was that?" he asked, panting slightly.

  
**.**  


Itachi took a deep breath, swallowing in order to try and wet his throat from the wind that had rushed into his mouth. "Amazing, you have a very lovely horse here." Itachi's fingers scratched Wichita's flank and the horse looked around for a moment, snorting.

"And I had a wonderful partner," Itachi continued, smiling at Naruto. He could feel his cheeks and knew they were slightly red, but Naruto's looked to be in the same condition and so he could peg it on the wind.

"You'll have to try Susanoo out one time. She can go a little faster than this fellow." Itachi stretched his arms up, arching his back and (slightly intentionally) pressing his stomach to Naruto's back.

Naruto sighed and arched into Itachi's stomach, not resisting the warmth. Their hands were still intertwined together and holding Wichita's reins while Naruto's other hand rested on Itachi's arm that was wrapped around his waist.

He nudged Wichita back to the stables where he'd give the horse a good rub down while Itachi would probably fuss over Susanoo. With a smile he leaned his head back and let it rest against Itachi's chest. If he glanced back enough, he'd be able to see the dark eyes watching him.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," he muttered. His eyes threatened to slide shut as Itachi's warmth made his drowsy after the high he'd gotten off riding.

Itachi felt better than he had in a while. He hadn't had such close comfort with anyone, really, before, outside of family - and that was a different sort of comfort. Wichita seemed to sense the lull in mood and sighed, swinging his hindquarters a little more and causing Itachi to tighten his grip, sliding closer once more.

Naruto was warm against him and Itachi thought he could be asleep, if not for the slight fluttering of eyelids. Itachi would have felt the same had their positions been switched and smiled softly, his free hand's fingers moving slightly against the skin they touched, attempting to lull Naruto into an even more relaxed state.

It was a lazy sort of ride, comfortable and cool as they made their way back. Occasionally Wichita would stop to sample the local greenery, to which Naruto would gently tug on the reins.

By the time they made it back to the stables, Naruto was ready to pass out. He felt Itachi slide off and he followed at a sluggish pace. Once the blood started to move again, he felt a bit more awake and turned towards his horse. Wichita was his main concern and he'd take care of his horse before anything else.

He moved around Wichita, giving him soft words of praise while Itachi went to check on Susanoo. For a little bit, he blocked out Itachi behind him as he looked over Wichita, making sure that nothing was swollen or hot to the touch.

Once everything was checked out, he led Wichita back to his box and got him settled in. Itachi was waiting for him as he locked the door and they walked back to the truck together in a comfortable silence. No doubt Deidara would be waiting for them back at the hotel having a panic attack at their day of absence.

"I know I seem to be saying it a lot," Itachi said as he opened his door, waiting for Naruto to sit in the truck before continuing, "But thank you. If you weren't here then it's likely I would be stewing at the hotel right now, panicking myself to a shred."

The rumble of the engine slightly covered Naruto's laugh. They rumbled on in comfortable silence before Itachi smiled, drawing his window down and poking his head out of the side.

"Look at all the stars!" He laughed into the air, hearing Naruto's slightly-panicked voice trying to get him back in the car. Itachi hadn't seen this many stars in ages and it was strange seeing certain placements of stars in different areas.

Laughing at Itachi's excitement, Naruto pulled the truck over on the dirt road and parked it. He rolled down his window and sat on the edge of the door, looking up at the stars. They were the same stars that he saw back home at his ranch but he'd never had the chance to sit and look at them with someone close.

He climbed out of the truck and pulled a blanket and sleeping bag from the back seat. The truck door slammed and Itachi circled around the truck as he lowered the gate. Spreading the sleeping bag out for some padding, he jumped into the bed and patted the spot next to him for Itachi to join him.

Itachi grinned, joining Naruto in seconds. He looked up at the stars for a moment before glancing back down at Naruto, smiling.

"That one there's the Unicorn." Itachi's smile was mischievous and Naruto caught on at once.

"You're so lying! There is no constellation called the Unicorn."

Itachi shrugged, "There was someone who believed me though. I managed to convince him that there was a real unicorn in the sky and the reason the stars twinkled was because the unicorns were moving." Itachi paused, eyes scanning the sky as he leant back a little, bumping arms with Naruto.

"He asked me once why they weren't allowed down here and I told him it was because they were so precious and so beautiful that people would want to abuse them. It's why we have horses and why we need to take such good care of them. Every grey horse we came upon he named a 'star' pony and treated it a little more specially than others." Itachi was silent again for a moment.

"He named Susanoo actually," he said quietly, eyes still fixed to the millions of stars above them. Itachi knew his voice had saddened slightly, but it had been so long since he'd seen his brother that he couldn't help it. "And then he wandered off into the wide world, leaving our star ponies behind."

The moment broke and Itachi chuckled, wondering what Naruto could think of him. Of course the blond would have no idea who he was talking of and he knew he sounded like a complete idiot. Star ponies and unicorns in the sky? Ridiculous, childish notions.

Naruto looked towards Itachi and cocked his head slightly. The sad tone that left Itachi tore at him and he shuffled closer to the male. He pushed Itachi down so they were lying on the sleeping bag and he let his head fall onto Itachi's chest.

"I'm sure he still remembers them, even if he's gone," he muttered softly. His hand reached down to grab Itachi's hand and he tucked his head underneath Itachi's chin. "He'll still think of them when he sees a gray pony and think of Susanoo. If he named her, then he still remembers."

He fell silent, thinking about Itachi's story more but he held his tongue on asking anymore questions. Answers would come when Itachi felt like giving them and Naruto would have to be patient.

His cell phone vibrated near his hand and he went to grab it but Itachi's hand circled around it first. With a simple push of the button, the ringer was turned off and he felt arms curl around his body.

Itachi hugged Naruto tighter, breathing in deeply and looking at the stars again. They twinkled, oblivious to the hundreds of stories told about them and Itachi sent a silent thank you to them for being there.

"I wish we had our horses here," Itachi admitted, bringing a hand up to run his fingers through Naruto's hair. He was fixed on the blond tresses, finding them silky to run his hands through. "Maybe we can go for a night ride at your ranch?"

Itachi didn't want to push his luck just yet and knew he needed to focus on the showjumping tomorrow. In any other context, he would be kissing Naruto at this moment, but he couldn't allow himself the pleasure until the final stage was done. It wasn't fair on Susanoo or his team if he allowed himself to be distracted before the final round and he only had to persevere for a day, at the very most.

Nodding, Naruto tilted his head so he could see the stars better. "Yeah, that would be nice. The weather would be a little bit cooler and we can camp out that night." His mind strayed a bit to the perverted side and he quickly worked to push them away.

He arched his back as he stretched and looked at Itachi's watch. It was getting late and he was surprised that Deidara hadn't sent a search party out for them yet. With a yawn, he sat up and slid from the bed of the truck.

"Come on, we need to get you into bed, well a proper bed anyway. You need to be rested for tomorrow's jumping." He pulled Itachi's hand and waited for the man to get up so he could throw the blankets into the back seat again.

Itachi walked to his seat and sat down, rubbing his eyes a little. It was true and Deidara would most likely be sitting on Itachi's bed right now, hissing and spitting insults out. If only he'd wait till morning... but that would never happen.

"You're right. Though I bet Deidara's in my room right now, cursing me to hell and back."

The truck rumbled under them and they carried on the road, smiling at the image of Deidara. Kisame would probably be in bed by now, or on the phone, calling back home to report in.

They pulled into the hotel car park and picked up their keys at the desk, greeting the receptionist with a smile. They walked silently up to their rooms, brushing against each other every now and then. It was only when they reached their doors that Itachi spoke again.

"You can take the bathroom first. I'm going to get an earful as soon as I open this door and I apologise for any noise."

Naruto snorted and Itachi raised an eyebrow. If he didn't believe him then fine, but Naruto couldn't blame him if Deidara's voice niggled into his brain and wouldn't let him sleep. It was the typical nagging voice a mother might use (albeit deeper and more masculine) and very reminiscent of Itachi's own mother on a warpath.

Entering the key into the door, Itachi pushed the handle, disappearing quickly and making sure the door was shut.

Chuckling a little at Itachi's actions, Naruto entered his own room and shut the door. He found Deidara rather harmless and didn't see what Itachi was so worried about. Maybe if he knew the other male better?

He dropped onto the bed after removing his shirt and pulled out his phone. Six missed calls from Sasuke and a text message showed up on his screen and Naruto shook his head. Sasuke's concern for him was funny and he started laughing at the text message that had been left for him. Good thing Itachi hadn't tried to grab his phone and read it when they were in the truck.

"Tell your new friend that if he even thinks about having sex with you before I met him, he'll regret it. I'll personally castrate him."

With a laugh, he typed back a response and grabbed his items for the bathroom. He knew it was empty and didn't bother to knock as he went in, pausing to listen for any shouting coming from the other room. It was silent and Naruto knew that Itachi had been worrying for nothing; unless they were waiting for him to shower to start yelling.

He climbed into the shower and instantly relaxed under the warm touch of water. Dust and horse hair fell from him and swirled around in the water near his feet. Once he was clean, he wrapped a towel around his waist and padded back into his room. His phone flashed with a missed text from Sasuke and he picked it up.

Naruto grinned at the pouting tone that seemed to ooze from Sasuke's words and flopped down on the bed to answer the text.

In the other room, Itachi watched, unimpressed as Deidara paced the length of the room, arms folded over his chest. He had started off by telling Itachi he should have been home earlier, smirking and then falling silent. It was this silence that scared Itachi more than anything. It meant Deidara was thinking about something, and when he thought about something this much then it meant he was most likely plotting. And a plotting Deidara wasn't a good thing.

"Can you just say something so I can go to bed?" Itachi said, kicking his shoes off and pulling at his socks. He should probably have a shower, really, but if Deidara didn't go soon he'd end up just sleeping and having a rushed one in the morning.

"I think it's a good thing," was all that the blond said, standing still and leaning towards Itachi.

"What?" The Uchiha said, not understanding what Deidara was on about. Had he blanked a conversation out or something?

"You know. Naruto's a lovely person and I think you two will be very happy together."

Itachi's eyebrows rose as his friend came to sit next to him, shrugging his shoulders slightly.

"You know, if you ever need anyone to talk to I'll be here. If you need pointers on anything or," Deidara lent in conspiratorially, whispering, "Need to borrow anything, you know, toys and stuff, then I'll happily-"

"Get out," Itachi stated dangerously, hardly believing that Deidara of all people was offering him sex advice. Uchihas didn't need it in the first place, but Itachi was more than capable at sex! Just because he didn't have a partner 24/7 didn't disqualify him from knowing about sex or enjoying it.

Deidara could be on muck-heap duty when they got back.

Itachi managed to push Deidara out, ignoring the man's pleas for him to just listen so he could explain a few things. Itachi really didn't want to know and shut the door with a bag, wincing at the noise it made.

The slamming of the door made Naruto jump and he lifted his head off the pillow to look at the bathroom door as though it would magically give him the answers. When it didn't, he tucked the phone away and stood up.

He thought he could hear Deidara's voice outside in the hallway, trying to coax Itachi to open the door but said door stayed shut. Briefly, he thought about poking his head outside to ask if everything was okay, but figured it'd be safer to ask Itachi.

The sound of the shower running made him drop back onto the bed with a sigh and his eyes closed briefly. They had one more day left until they could go home and he'd be able to spend more time with Itachi. It made him grin at the ceiling as he thought about everything they could do.

With a smile still on his face, he crawled under the sheets and turned the light off. Instantly, the room was plunged into darkness and he closed his eyes. For a while, everything was quiet and the minutes ticked by slowly.

An hour passed in silence before Naruto bolted up right in bed, wide eyes looking around the room frantically. He knew he shouldn't have watched that horror movie today but it didn't look so bad in the previews.

Heart pounding against his chest, he stumbled across the room until he reached the bathroom. The light clicked on and flooded the room with light. In his mind, he could still see the screaming ghost and he wanted someone to tell him that it'd be okay.

Sasuke wasn't here right now and he usually did that after they watched horror movies. He laughed and poked fun of him, but in the end, he usually relented. Now, Naruto found himself padding softly into Itachi's room.

He could hear the soft breaths coming from the man and for a while he squirmed in his spot, not sure if he should suck it up and go back to his room or wake Itachi up. The calling of his name made him jump and he looked back towards Itachi.

Dark eyes pinned him to the spot even in the darkened room. "The ghost," he muttered softly, hoping Itachi would understand. "Can I stay here tonight?"

Conditioned to rise at the whim of his uncle (who was an unpredictable slave driver), Itachi's sleeping habits had always been light. Even so, he hadn't woken until Naruto had been hovering by the bed, obviously unsure of what to do next.

Instead of rolling over and ignoring Naruto (which, if he was sensible, he would do), Itachi shuffled over in the bed, pulling back the top covers and patting the mattress.

"Make yourself at home," he said, rolling back over and facing away from Naruto, unsure how he would be able to cope looking straight on at the blond, especially with Deidara's 'advice' ringing in his ears. Thank god Naruto hadn't come out of his room to hear Deidara listing off the sex toys he could get for Itachi.

In the darkness of the room, Itachi was very much aware of Naruto. All of his senses were captivated by the blonde and he couldn't focus on sleep. His position was rigid, legs straight and arms uncomfortably bent.

Naruto didn't seem to be in a better state, shuffling every now and again. Itachi remembered when he had been scared, sneaking into his parent's beds, or when Sasuke had come running into his room every time a lightning storm hit. They weren't frequent, but that hadn't stopped his brother from cowering under the covers, too shy to ask to be held but too stubborn to leave.

Maybe that was what they both needed right now. Itachi hadn't been sleeping well before Naruto had come in anyway, mind too full of tomorrow's competition, and Naruto clearly wasn't sleeping well.

Biting the bullet, Itachi sucked in a breath and rolled over, flinging his arms right over Naruto. He pulled him onto his chest, settling themselves as they had been under the stars earlier.

"It's comfier," he offered as an explanation, hating the way his cheeks felt hot.

Instantly, Naruto's body relaxed as Itachi's arms circled around him and he buried his nose into the male's chest. The familiar, soothing sound of his heartbeat thrummed in his ears and he found that his eyes were once again drooping shut.

He pushed his body closer and let his legs intertwine with Itachi's. A hand found its way into his hair, running through it once before dropping back to rest on his side. A deep sigh left Naruto's mouth and he closed his eyes.

"Thank you," he said softly and Itachi's arms tightened around him in response. Finally feeling safe from the nightmares that tried to come earlier, Naruto let his mind relax and his body quickly fell asleep.

Itachi could feel Naruto sinking into sleep and smiled, drifting off gently and joining the blond.

  
**.**  


Itachi woke slowly, as if rising through syrup. His eyes were heavy and he wanted to place his head back down, but reality returned and he knew he had the final phase today.

Sometime during the night Itachi's old habit had resurfaced. Even as a baby he had the tendency to shuffle down the bed, ending with his head off of the pillow and feet curled up as they tried not to dangle off of the end of the mattress. In the night he had wiggled down again, but onto Naruto rather than below his pillow.

Itachi moved his head slowly, cursing a stray strand of hair. It blocked his full view of a sleeping Naruto, but what he could see warmed his heart.

Looking as peaceful as ever, Naruto was a wonderfully adorable sleeper. He had a faint smile on his lips, hardly noticeable, and Itachi shifted his head, burrowing into Naruto's chest a little more. Their limbs were tangled and Itachi was, for once, more than content to lay in bed and waste the time away before Deidara came knocking on the door.

Of course, unfortunately, he'd bustle Naruto away then to their bathroom, pretending that they hadn't spent the night together. Deidara would, in the event that he found out, become even worse than he had been the previous night.

The dipping of the bed near his body had Naruto waking slowly. His body was coming out of a heavy sleep and he snuggled back into the warmth that was wrapped around his body. His hand shifted and touched something soft, and his eyes blinked open.

Slowly, a body came into focus and he looked down at dark hair. His fingers ran through the hair that spilled over Itachi's body. He was being used as a pillow but he found that he rather enjoyed it; it made him closer to Itachi.

Letting his head flop back down on the pillow, he hesitantly ran his fingers over the skin. Forget sharing a room with Sasuke; Naruto could share his room with Itachi. He had a queen size bed, plenty of space for them to share and cuddle more. Better than the sofa or floor in Sasuke's room.

"Morning," he muttered, voice thick with sleep.

Itachi shifted a little so that Naruto would be able to see his full face. "Morning," he greeted, smiling sleepily. They lay like that for a few more minutes, drinking in the warmth they had made in the night and slightly stretching out their legs.

"I slept well, you?" Itachi said, placing his head down and blinking, eyelashes brushing against Naruto's chest, fabric-clad or not. He didn't want to move at all; today should be a lazy day, one where you could just lie in bed.

Unfortunately, Itachi had showjumping to do and Susanoo needed adequate warming up. No doubt Wichita would be restless (especially as he was boxed next to Susanoo, and she was no doubt bothering the gelding through the wall in her attempts to make friends). They had duties, but on the ranch... well, out on the ranch they could relax in comfort, taking the day in stride.

Feeling Itachi shift in the bed, Naruto sighed lowly. He didn't want to get up, but the horses came first, as did Itachi's competition. Only then after that, could they enjoy the time to themselves. They could make plans on the drive back, but not before then. Right now, it was just about Itachi's jumping.

With one last sigh, Naruto sat up and stretched his hands over his head. "Go ahead and use the bathroom first," he grinned. "Otherwise Deidara will come in and drag you out while you're still dressed in sleep shorts."

Naruto swung his feet over the edge of the bed and his toes curled against the carpet. His neck popped as he twisted it to the side and with a groan, he stood up. If he stayed in bed any longer, he'd be tempted to fall back asleep.

Itachi watched thoughtfully as Naruto walked slowly to the bathroom, covering his mouth with a hand in attempts to stifle a yawn. Smiling to himself, Itachi wiggled his toes in the bed, watching the sheets wiggle too. Childish, perhaps, but it was a way to vent energy that was threatening to become sexual frustration. Itachi didn't think he'd been this long with temptation there (and clearly wanting it back) and not having sex for years.

Deidara's pervertedness was rubbing off on him, apparently. Itachi groaned softly, turning over and burrowing back into the pillows, partially because he was tired and partially because they smelt of Naruto.

One more day, that's all, Itachi kept reminding himself as he opened his wardrobe, taking in the pile of washing in the corner on the bottom and the neatly folded yard clothing. Casual for now, then dressed to jump nicely later. Susanoo would have to undergo a lovely make-over too, and hopefully they'd place quite high.

And then, of course, Susanoo could bond more with her new friend and Itachi with his.

Moving lazily around his room, Naruto tossed his clothes into a bag, knowing that they'd be leaving soon after this and he didn't want to bother with packing later. Outside his door, he could hear Deidara and Kisame talking and wondered when they'd come to see if Itachi was awake.

He flushed, remembering last night how he was curled up with Itachi and could only imagine what would've happened if Deidara stumbled upon them like that. Sasuke wouldn't be the only one having a field day with that type of blackmail.

Pulling on his boots, he slipped outside the room and found the small group waiting for him. Flashing them a grin, he laced his hands behind his head. "Shall we get some breakfast?"

Deidara turned to Naruto's door with a frown, as if considering something. He stole a glance towards Itachi, who had recently exited his own room and narrowed his eyes.

"I suppose," he murmured, pushing Kisame along a little, glancing back and looking pointedly at Itachi.

Itachi, as he had known his odd friend for years, could read the look well. It was a look that promised more awkward situations later on, when they were separate from Kisame and Naruto. Itachi just had to make sure Naruto stayed with him until the competition was done. After that they would (hopefully) be celebrating so Deidara would be distracted.

"I feel like a full English," Kisame muttered, opening the door for everyone. Unfortunately a full English breakfast wasn't on the menu, unless you counted the stacks of fatty bacon and mounds of sausages as part of the meal. And not to mention the soggy, cold eggs. While everything else was lovely here at the buffet, what they were calling the full English was sadly lacking.

Still, it was food and Naruto's stomach growled at the sight of bread. He wanted toast with jam, and maybe a doughnut. For some reason he was craving one of those badly right now. However, it was lacking on the menu and he figured he'd pick one up later if he found time.

Breakfast went by quickly, with Naruto ignoring the looks that Deidara threw at him and Itachi. There was something going on with the man and he was curious to know what was running through his mind.

He shrugged it off however and they headed down to the grounds where the horses were waiting once more for their arrival. Wichita was prancing in place as he let himself in the stall and tried to soothe his excited nerves.

"Susanoo seems to have rubbed off on him. I think he wants to try some dressage," Naruto stated with a laugh.

Itachi turned away from where he was being rubbed against by his grey mare, looking over with a smile.

"Sorry, she has no manners outside the riding school." Itachi kissed the soft skin between Susanoo's nostrils and patted her neck, smiling as she arched her neck, craning to see her new friend.

"Breakfast time," Itachi said, removing himself from the stable and moving to the little room. He unlocked the door, mixed his horse's feed and then brought the bucket out, dropping it over Susanoo's door and letting her eat. He noticed Naruto preparing Wichita's feed too and hang back a little, head tilting as Naruto bent down.

"This final stage is a tricky one," Itachi changed topic away from certain bodily parts and looked around the barn. People were up and about, sweeping out stalls, leaving and returning, greeting each other and generally setting up the stables for the last day. It was an atmosphere Itachi loved, the horses relaxing despite the tension in the yard. It was always at a height on the last day as everyone's emotions were running full blast, nervous, excited, tired and happy being only a few things.

"Yeah?" Naruto asked and stood up. The bucket swung in his hand as he walked inside the stall and emptied the feed bucket. He didn't know what all went into a three day event, but figured that the last day would be the most stressful. The only thing he could offer was comfort and words to keep away the nerves.

He turned back around to rest against the door and looked Itachi over, searching for any signs of worry about the days event. Itachi seemed calm, but then again, the best riders could often hide their nervousness.

"Mmm," Itachi muttered, casting another glance around the barn. A horse a few stables down was tied up outside its stable and beginning to look a little agitated. No doubt it could pick up on its riders' apprehension and didn't understand. "It's more about the technique and skill here, as well as jumping a clear round and quickly. It's difficult..."

Itachi stopped, frowning as the horse he had noticed backed up a little, its ears flattened. He could see someone on the other side of the horse, attempting to calm it down. A few other people had taken notice and Itachi felt Naruto step beside him, watching the horse and rider.

A hand tugged on the quick-release knot and grasped at the lead rope. The horse, however, was having none of it, and the dark brown horse threw its head up, snorting and pushing up a little.

Susanoo snorted in Itachi's ear as she poked her head out to see what was the source of the commotion. Itachi stroked her gently, reassuring her that everything was fine.

From across the barn a shrill whinny erupted and the dark brown horse whirled round, pulling its leadrope from the handler and kicking its legs round, catching the man in the chest. He fell back with an 'oof' and the horse ducked its head down.

People tended to forget how dangerous horses could be. They were gentle creatures most of the time, placing and content, yet in competing for many years, Itachi had seen incidences where the horses couldn't deal. Usually it was the younger ones that were the horses swung towards stable vices or unsettled behaviours and he was willing to bet the charging horse now was younger and not used to competitions on this scale.

A piercing scream came from the horse's mouth as its hoof caught on the trailing leadrope and it stumbled a little, hooves clattering on the floor as it skidded. Itachi took the momentary lapse in speed and strength to move forwards, snatching the thick, black rope and jerking it as the horse pulled up.

In running a stud, Itachi was used to violent horses. Stallions and mares tended to be nastier around each other when they were about to mate and Itachi had broken up enough brawls between males to last a lifetime. It was here that these skills came in handy though and he ran a few paces with the horse before gently pulling the headcollar, tugging the nose of the horse down.

Susanoo whinnied worriedly, her voice familiar to Itachi's ears. He smiled at the dark brown horse he was holding, pulling a little more and slowing it to a walk. The horse's eyes were still showing the whites, but they were a little calmer now.

They walked to the entrance of the barn briskly, turning a 180 degree circle and walking back to where they were stabled. The horse had settled, and while its head was still high, ears flickering uncertainly and eyes a little wild, seemed much calmer than the moment it had charged.

"There we go," Itachi reassured, stroking the horse's neck gently and allowing it a bit more rope. "It's okay, I know we're all a little stressed now, but why don't we get you back to your owners and you have a nice rest?"

The horse tilted its head, nostrils flaring at Itachi.

"Thank you!" The man who had been kicked in the chest was standing ahead, looking pink in the face, but otherwise okay.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Itachi asked, unsure how hard the kick had been.

"He just clipped my chest, it's nothing major and I'll get him settled properly before I get it looked to. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't..." The man trailed off, his hand gently reaching for the dark horse. The horse sniffed his hand before batting it with his nose, playfully.

"Come on you," the man said, thanking Itachi again and taking the rope from his hands. Itachi watched them go, sighing as the horse complied fully and returned to his box.

He turned back to Naruto with a sheepish smile and was about to apologise for rushing off when Susanoo screeched at him.

"Sorry girlie," he said, reaching to scratch between her eyes. She shook her head and snorted, pulling her head back into her stable and out of Itachi's reach.

Naruto chuckled at Susanoo's actions and leaned against the wall outside of her stall. He could hear the mare shuffling around inside and he turned towards Itachi. He admired Itachi for the quickness on his feet, knowing how dangerous a loose horse could be.

On the ranch, there were horses and cattle to worry about. And when one got loose or tried to fight, it took quick reflexes to get out of the way. A mad steer could kill you with the right toss of its head. The same could be said about the horses as well.

He felt a nose nudging his arm and he turned around to pat Susanoo, muttering softly to her. She rested her head on his shoulder and snorted at Itachi. Smiling, Naruto hid his face in the mare's neck and inhaled her scent.

"It's okay pretty lady," he muttered softly. "He still loves you."

She lipped at his hair and Naruto turned back around with a smile. "Perhaps I should let you two have some alone time while I take out my own troublesome boy." He suggested, giving Susanoo one last pat. While he would've liked to stay longer, he knew that Itachi needed to get warmed up and get some of the adrenaline out of his system.

Itachi nodded, turning his attention to his tack room as soon as Naruto began shifting off. He'd begin warming Susanoo up later, letting her breakfast go down first, but he needed to schedule in a vet check. All vet checks before the final stage needed to take place as soon as possible. If Susanoo hadn't recovered properly from the hard trial yesterday then she wouldn't be allowed to compete in the showjumping. Itachi hoped this wouldn't be the case.

Walking over to his stable and grabbing the sheets from the folder in the door, Itachi scanned the information, looking for where the vet section was. It was only a few minutes' walk away and Itachi decided to go alone. He'd let Naruto know later, maybe when they took Susanoo over to have a check. It would just be a short trip to give them Itachi's number and let them know Susanoo was ready to be looked at.

He passed Naruto and Wichita with a smile, even though the pair couldn't see it. They made a beautiful couple, complimenting each other wonderfully. With a slight sigh, Itachi set off to schedule a vet, joining a few others headed in that direction silently, all the riders slightly nervous.

Humming to himself, Naruto ran the brush over Wichita's coat. The simple motion kept his mind occupied while he waited for Itachi to come back from whatever it was that he needed to do. Wichita's ears flickered back and forth, catching the tone that escaped his throat and he snorted slightly.

With a laugh, he patted the bay's neck and started to sing softly to him. He moved around the front and stroked the soft nose, singing lowly to Wichita. Like magic, the horse's head lowered and he bumped Naruto's chest as his eyes lowered slightly.

Susanoo whickered from the stable next door, partially joining in with Naruto and partly because Itachi had returned. He carried a sheet of paper, a checklist, and stored it away in the folder on Susanoo's stable door before fetching her headcollar and leadrope.

"I'm just taking her for her vet inspection, would you like to come? It'll be pretty boring, just a trot up and a check over, but I thought I'd ask."

"Sure," Naruto said happily and gave one last pat to Wichita. The horse snorted sleepily at him before dozing back off once more. Shaking his head at Wichita, Naruto eased his way out of the stable and moved towards Itachi side.

His hand stroked over Susanoo's neck and she nickered happily as they moved down the aisle.

They walked quietly, Susanoo's hooves clipping the ground softly. Their actual meeting with the vet was brief, a quick trot up and down and then the vet examined Susanoo, running his hands over the grey mare's legs, letting Itachi know she was in good condition to jump later.

They left the tent and made their way back to the stables, where they met Deidara and Kisame.

"Is she okay?" Kisame asked, reaching to pat Susanoo's neck as she was led back into her stable. Itachi unclipped the leadrope before replying.

"She's good." Itachi paused, looking to Naruto. "Would you like to warm up together? We could go for a walk around, just something light, to ease Susanoo's muscles for her proper warm up later."

Naruto nodded happily. "Yeah, that'd be nice." He stepped into the stall and poked Wichita in the shoulder. He'd ride bareback again since it was just a light warm up and then he'd try to be patient while he waited for Itachi to compete.

Wichita's ears flickered as he eased the bridle into his mouth. With one last pat to the bay's neck, he moved down the aisle with Itachi once they were ready to go.

They walked out of the main area, nodding to the people scuttling about, before mounting and walking slowly down one of the open paths. Itachi knew the route, or at least had seen it on the map, and it was a short track leading to a gallop field. Instead of galloping though, they could turn around there and head back.

Susanoo was content to plod softly next to Wichita, occasionally invading the bay's personal space. She seemed to have worn him down during the night, though, as he simply turned his neck, sniffing her gently before dismissing her.

"Good girl," Itachi said with a smile, drawing Naruto's attention to him.

Itachi had seen a lot of Naruto so far in the past few days, but everytime he saw him astride Wichita, it was as if seeing someone new. Naruto really came alive on his horse, wore a carefree smile and his shoulders were relaxed. Itachi would go so far as to say he looked like a god, astride a mighty steed, but then again he was a little biased.

Smiling at Itachi, Naruto turned back to the trail ahead of them. This would be the last time he'd get to spend alone with Itachi until they reached the ranch. With Deidara and Kisame riding in his truck, it'd be too hard to try for anything else.

His fingers wrapped around Wichita's mane as they broke into a trot. Comfortable silence had settled between them as they passed by a few other horses on the dirt path. A few nodded to them but most ignored them in favor of warming up their own horses.

Naruto was excited to watch Itachi compete later today. He knew the basic's for show jumping and had seen it once. But to be able to watch it up close and actually cheer for someone he knew was even better. And after seeing Susanoo jump the large jumps the other day, he couldn't wait to see her perform over the carefully balanced rails.

They circled the gallop field, the horses unsure at first, picking up - as horses did - that this was a place to go fast. Both of the horses had pricked their ears, before their hopes had been dampened for the run, as Itachi and Naruto angled them to turn the way they had come.

"Not much longer," Itachi said, smiling at Naruto. He'd miss their alone-time, but he supposed that they would find plenty of other things out on Naruto's ranch. Itachi was sure there would be moments of terror for him (the bulls in all the pictures of western looked pretty tough, even more so than the beef cattle back home), but he'd get to spend more time with Naruto.

After that though, Itachi didn't know what would happen. He'd have to go back home eventually (his uncle would pitch a fit if it wasn't too soon), but that meant leaving Naruto. Who was, Itachi forced himself to remember, practically a stranger. They had met only two days ago and yet even now Itachi was willing to stay here, if it was allowed of course.

Slowing Wichita down as they approached the stables, Naruto ran a hand over the bay's neck. He'd probably start packing his truck and trailer while Itachi worked with his team. It'd allow him to stay out of the way and help them get on the road quicker.

It was a thirteen hour drive back, but with two horses and four males in the car, it would take a lot longer. They would need to stop to let the horses out so they could stretch their legs and no doubt, they'd have to take their own restroom breaks.

Turning back towards Itachi as the barn came into view, Naruto smiled softly. "I'll go ahead and start getting the trailer ready while you prep with your team. I want to wash out the inside of it since I'm sure dirt has collected in it."

Itachi watched as Naruto left and Deidara poked his head out of their tack room.

"Come on loverboy, get that bum in gear and get boring tack on. Go clear her over a few simple jumps in the warm-up arena and then make goo-goo eyes at Naruto."

Itachi frowned, spinning round to check that Naruto wasn't around. Susanoo whinnied, as if laughing, and Itachi shook his head.

"Outnumbered," he muttered, moving to tack up Susanoo properly and take her over a few jumps.

"I'll see you in a bit then," the Uchiha said, nodding to Kisame as the man arrived.

"I have our standings. If we get a clear round in the alotted time, we can possibly make the top ten, depending on how well the others do." The tall man grinned at Itachi. "You better do well or else your uncle will be set free. And you know how competitive he gets."

Itachi shuddered. Yes, Madara had made it clear he was looking for a top twenty rider in Itachi, back when he first started eventing. Itachi had always strived to win, and more often than none had placed first, but this was a world championship. Competition was fierce.

Belatedly, Itachi wondered how Naruto had done in his competitions. He'd have to ask him later, but for now he had showjumping to train for.

  
**.**  


Wichita huffed at Naruto as a couple drops of water hit his legs. He stomped a hoof and shifted to the other side of the truck, where he'd hopefully stay dry and he'd be able to get a nap. His ears flickered back and forth, listening to the sound of water splashing the inside of the trailer and with one last snort, started to doze off.

Inside the trailer, Naruto shut the water off and tossed the hose outside. He looked around with a smile at the now clean metal interior and grabbed a broom. He pushed the water out and then started to wipe the floor down with a large towel. An hour in the sun and the inside would be dry in no time.

By that time, Itachi would be done and they could finish getting ready. He moved around the trailer, pausing the check on Wichita before climbing inside the front of the trailer. It wasn't horribly messy, but still needed to be straightened up. He really should've asked Itachi if they were all riding back together or if they had their own trailer.

Either way, it needed to be done. Shuffling bottles around, he stacked them in the small tack box that rested on the floor and shook out the fabric that covered the metal floor. Minutes passed and when he finally finished, the inside of the trailer was dry and he replaced the rubber mat.

Locking up the trailer doors, Naruto untied Wichita and led him back. The bay snorted at him, upset that someone had woken him up from his nap. Naruto rubbed his ears as they moved through the stable. He didn't want to be late for Itachi's competition and heaved a sigh of relief when he found Susanoo still in her box.

"Hey pretty lady," he said after putting Wichita in his own box. The gelding ignored them, intent on getting more sleep. "Are you ready?"

Susanoo snorted, poking her head fully out of her box to reveal herself tacked up. She wore a simple English bridle, cavesson noseband and running martingale complete, reins twisted and threaded through the cheekpiece so they wouldn't fall over her head. Her saddle was similar to the dressage one, almost a normal English riding saddle yet a bit flatter.

"Here I'll just get her out," a voice said and Kisame appeared, unlatching the door and smiling at the grey mare.

"Hello there gorgeous! Itachi's just getting ready, but we need to make sure you don't have any straw on your legs eh?"

Susanoo was led out, her legs already booted to protect them from possible knocks in jumping. She looked very smart and Kisame clucked happily.

"Wonderful. Perfect for Grand Prix I should think." He smiled at Naruto, "Itachi should be dressing up all formal as we speak.

Kisame frowned as a high-pitched voice could be heard inside the tackroom and turned, seeing Deidara being pushed out. Raising a questioning eyebrow to the slightly flushed blond, Kisame didn't have to voice his question.

"I was trying to offer some good mannered advice." Deidara huffed, turning to look at Wichita, who looked back at the blond and snorted. "Thank you, see Naruto, your horse agrees with me! Good advice."

Naruto laughed lightly and scratched the back of his head. He was sure that whatever Deidara was trying to do, Itachi didn't need Wichita agreeing with him. He pushed the dark, questioning nose away and the bay huffed at him before turning back inside.

"Well, I'm not all the knowledgeable to English riding, so I think I'll sit this one out. Don't want to put in any wrong advice," he said with a laugh. Naruto figured it was the safest way to stay out of the argument.

He wanted to inch to the side though, hoping he could try to peek inside the tackroom where Itachi was changing. Shuffling his feet to the side, he inched over just a bit before Susanoo whinnied at him. Feeling like he had been caught, Naruto paused in his quest and turned around to face the mare, sure that his face was a bit red.

Susanoo flared her nostrils, reaching out her nose as far as Kisame's hand outstretched, sniffing for Naruto. Naruto moved towards her, just in time for Itachi to exit, making it seem as though he hadn't been trying to sneak a peak.

Itachi frowned. He hated dressing in formal riding clothes and always felt self-conscious in the riding jacket. He preferred competing in slobby riding clother, but it was necessary at this stage. Traditional... and as much as he may moan about it, Itachi did like the traditional values to it.

"Did you walk the course already?" Itachi nodded, not speaking to Kisame as he prepared to mount. He offered a smile to Naruto, though he was sure it came out as a grimace.

Naruto returned the smile and stayed silent as Kisame talked to Itachi about the course. They moved outside the stable and Naruto walked alongside Susanoo, listening to the steady clop of her hooves.

He could see Itachi's jaw tensing as they grew closer to ring. By now, Kisame had stopped talking and have a heavy silence hung in the air. They stopped outside the warm up ring and Kisame paused to look inside the ring where a horse and rider had just knocked down a rail.

Reaching up, Naruto tugged on Itachi's jacket. The older male leaned over slightly and Naruto rested his hand on Itachi's and gave it a light squeeze. "Good luck," he muttered softly so he didn't draw attention to himself.

Itachi entered the ring to applause, trotting Susanoo in gently. Her ears flickered, taking in the amount of people around them, tucking her head in a little. Itachi felt her move the bit in her mouth a little and relaxed the rein contact, sitting deeply and circling her round the central part of the arena. He was announced, his standings too, before a tone sounded across the stadium, hushing a lot of people to silence and signalling Itachi's start.

Susanoo transitioned up to canter fluidly, ending with a bouncy, impulsive canter. Itachi steered her to the first fence, patting her neck quickly, before taking the reins fully and urging her onwards.

Jumping to Itachi had always felt like flying and Susanoo never put jumps to shame. She cleared the beginning easily, responding to the small movements Itachi made and moving to align up with the next jump. There were a few tight corners, causing moments where Itachi was unsure of the approach and whether they would clear the fence, but Susanoo pulled herself out of it, pushing forwards and to the clear round they were looking for.

A clear round in good time could be the difference between winning and placing down in the league tables.

They entered the last series of jumps, a wide spread double and then the final. Susanoo cleared the double, Itachi gently soothing the centre so her striding was clear, before they passed over the final jump, the buzzer ringing again and his time being noted down. With a huge smile, Itachi patted Susanoo's neck, letting her slow down to a trot. He would have to wait a while before finding out scores and waited to be notified he could leave, smiling as applause erupted. A clear round itself wasn't out of the ordinary, but Itachi knew there hadn't been that many today.

He exited the arena and dismounted, preparing to greet his team, but was stopped by a steward.

"Would you be able to just come this way, Mr. Uchiha? You can bring your horse."

Itachi nodded, uncertain. He didn't look back at any of the trio waiting, afraid they'd see panic on his face and assume the worst. Had he been disqualified? Had he done something wrong? Was he about to be thrown out of the competition, even after all of the hard work?

"Here we go, sir," the steward said, leaving Itachi and Susanoo by the tent that held the judging panel.

Oh god. He really was being disqualified.

"Ah, Mr. Uchiha!" A man exited, moving over and sticking a hand out to take Itachi's shaking it enthusiastically. "We just wanted to tell you to keep your horse ready. We don't have too many competitors left to jump and unless one of them pulls out an amazing display, we have a tied first place."

Itachi nodded slowly, unsure where this fit in with his disqualification.

"As I said," the man continued, finally releasing Itachi's hand and looking at his horse with a smile on his face, inspecting the pedigree of Susanoo with a smile. "Expect to move into a jump-off against someone. You managed to clear with no faults and a time of the same, which is amazing in itself, but it makes the games that more exciting."

Itachi blinked slowly. They hadn't been disqualified? They'd... tied for first place?

"T-thank you," he managed to stutter out, not minding the fact that the man was now rubbing Susanoo's nose. He needed to get back and tell his team what was going on. Even if he didn't win the jump-off, he'd be coming in second, which was more than he'd been expecting for the world games (though his uncle Madara was expecting no less than first, a stupid feat for Susanoo's first competition at the games).

"Did you breed her yourself? She's a wonderful horse. I watched you out in the arena as well, and in the dressage. She had a beautiful gait, perfect with maybe a few more years' experience." The man smiled at Itachi, elbowing him slightly, "Bet you she'll beat all of them in the end!"

Itachi smiled stiffly. He really wanted to leave now. "I did, back in England at my family stud. She's descended from the first horse I owned." Itachi added it to hint to the man to keep his grubby paws off of Susanoo. She would never, ever, be for sale.

"Of course, of course." The man gave one more look over Susanoo before lighting up a smile and turning to another person who had just moved up beside Susanoo. The chestnut horse bobbed its head gently and Itachi swore he knew the horse.

"Nice seeing you again Itachi!" The woman Itachi had played gymkhana games with before - Konan - smiled at him from under her riding hat. "It looks like we'll be competing against each other again," she added and Itachi nodded.

"We better make it worthwhile then!"

"Good, good, right then you two," Itachi though it would be the cue to leave, until two stewards came to hold the reins. "Up you go, they're just clearing the unused jumps and raising the ones we'll be using."

The man wished them both luck and Konan and Itachi found themselves being led back to the arena, where the fact there was going to be a jump-off was announced.

Once again, Itachi found himself passing his team and wondered what they were thinking. He desperately wanted to see them, but now wasn't the time. He had to prepare Susanoo for a quick-fire, high-jumping round.

Though, as he passed, Itachi fancied he saw Naruto smile at him, but he couldn't be sure as he wasn't looking properly.

Naruto's smiled faded as Itachi passed by. He wasn't sure what was going on and judging by Kisame and Deidara's faces, they looked a little unsure too. His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone and he excused himself.

Stepping away slightly, he brought the phone up to his ear. "What Sasuke?" he asked, voice harsher than it should have been.

"Cranky today; and that's coming from me. What happened, you and lover boy already have a falling out?"

Naruto shook his head. "No, but he just finished jumping and they took him away with his horse and I don't know what's going on. What if he's in trouble for something and the disqualify him?"

"Breathe Naruto. If they took him back out to the ring with another rider, it probably means that he's going into a jump off. Nothing wrong with that." A sigh sounded over the phone. "Go back and cheer him on, but you better call me when you get on the road."

"Thank you," Naruto muttered and snapped the phone shut. He slid up to the group again as the two riders left the ring, trying to make sure that he didn't look worried out of his mind. It wouldn't help Itachi any to see that.

In the arena, Itachi nodded as the route was explained, cutting out half of the jumps and causing a windy, tricky jumping route if you wanted to take the fastest way. They sent the two riders to lap round the arena, Susanoo following Ame as they cantered round, applause rounding as people settled in for a gut-clenching jump-off. No matter what level, jump-offs were always exciting.

They were the result of a tied position, where two riders (rarely more) would compete for the position. The course they had jumped was modified slightly, with some jumps being told as 'non-jumping' and the jumps that they would be going against being raised higher. The idea was to clear the jumps as quickly as possible and the person with the least faults or the least time would win.

They flipped a coin to see who would go first when they came back to the centre, Susanoo stopping gently. Itachi patted her neck as Ame left the arena, scanning the course he was about to jump. Itachi's heart was in his mouth, but they had to do this. They had to give it their best shot.

He was announced again, as was Susanoo, and Itachi began a trot, preparing for the buzzer and the transition to canter. The buzzer sounded and Itachi sat deeply, clicking his tongue and rising Susanoo to canter.

They were off then, clearing the first jump with a mighty strain of muscles. Susanoo landed cleanly and Itachi turned her as soon as they could, cutting across the front of jumps and lining her up in an angled motion.

With the jump-off, precision and neatness didn't matter. The jumping had to be safe and clean itself, but the approach could be as angled as necessary. As long as the course was completed safely with no possible danger to the rider or horse, sharp turns and cuts were the way to go.

Susanoo raised her head a little, pricking her ears at the large double and flying over neatly. She tucked her legs in, making for the second jump, and Itachi knew it cost them a precious nanosecond. Clicking his tongue, Itachi urged Susanoo on, nudging her gently. They only had two more jumps and to get to them he had to steer a very tight corner.

This was where time could be lost, but Susanoo managed to pivot slightly, making an impossible corner possible. Itachi smiled, relieved that she had righted herself on the corner, and they moved forwards, taking the jump, clearing it and angling for the final one.

With a mighty push, Itachi and Susanoo finished the course and Itachi folded slightly, clapping Susanoo on the neck. He sat back, lengthening the rein, looking over to where Ame and Konan were waiting, in the centre of the ring. Itachi would go and switch places with her and they would see who won.

Susanoo halted and Itachi watched Ame go. He smiled as the chestnut began the course and knew that their competition previously had nothing on this now. That was fun, a bit of child's play, but now they were competing for the FEI first place. In his gut, Itachi had a feeling Ame would win, but he didn't feel cheated or upset. Konan was a wonderful rider and Ame a little more seasoned to competing. He could be annoyed and say that it was unfair because Konan had seen his jump-off and so could alter her course, but it wasn't true. You never knew the course fully until you rode it, especially for a jump off.

Ame cleared the last jump and Konan, like Itachi, praised her horse heartily. She turned in to join him and smiled, pink-faced.

"We've been competing for years in competitions like this and never have I had such an exciting jump-off. You're one to look out for Uchiha!" Konan shifted Ame over, next to Susanoo and offered her hand. Itachi shook it with a smile.

"Thank you," he said, truly meaning it.

"Congratulations to both of you and thank you for participating. It was close," the man from earlier was back, this time with a sheet of paper and slightly out of breath. He had just run from the judges tent. "But Ame and Konan managed to beat your time by 0.56 seconds." The man chuckled. "Well done, both of you."

Itachi and Konan both smiled, gathering their reins and turning their horses slightly as the third place entered, moving towards them. Itachi recognised the broad, dark brown horse as the feisty one in the stables earlier and smiled at the rider, a slightly weedy looking man.

"Congratulations," he said, smiling at the first and second places, falling into step as they walked to the winners stand.

A silver trophy was handed to Itachi and he held it high with the gold and bronze. Susanoo, Ame and the brown horse were given rosettes and flowers, cheers ringing through the crowd.

After what seemed like an endless array of photographs, congratulations and cheers, the winners were allowed to lead the final lap procession. Ame set off first, off the track so Itachi the the brown horse could flank her either side, set just behind. They would do a lap before the other competitors joined in, a victory salute and a way to end on a high note, no matter if you placed lower down.

Itachi was laughing as the wind passed by, enjoying the ride with fellow competitors. It struck him that he was missing something important and looked to the brown horse, suddenly wishing it was a bay and the rider a loud blond.

They were let out of the ring, teams moving forward to congratulate horses and riders. Itachi dismounted and let the reins go as he hugged Deidara first, laughing at the blond's squeal of alarm. Kisame was next and he clapped Itachi on the back in return, saying he knew the Uchiha could do it.

Naruto was last and he hesitated slightly, before drawing Naruto into a softer, more needier hug.

Nuzzling the pale neck, Naruto brought his arms up to encircle Itachi's shoulders. He pressed a soft kiss to Itachi's neck before he realized what he had done but still didn't pull away. Itachi's arms tightened around his body and he sighed gently.

"Congratulations," he murmured softly. "And thank you, for letting me be a part of your team like this."

Naruto inhaled the horse scent on Itachi's clothing and he tightened his own grip. He didn't want to let go, even knowing that they'd get more personal time together back at the ranch. Right now, he just wanted to bask in Itachi's victory, feeling as though he had won something as well.

Itachi hugged Naruto tighter, feeling as if he was on a cloud. There had been no mistaking, that had been a kiss. Albeit a little one, but a kiss was a kiss! Naruto had kissed him. This was better than tea, and that was saying something.

Itachi had read about people saying they felt they could accomplish anything, but he had never thought about it and never believed in it. Now, with Susanoo next to him, Deidara and Kisame beside him and Naruto in his arms, Itachi felt he could have shifted a mountain by sheer pushing.

Itachi knew now was the moment to steal a kiss. They were all happy and if Naruto thought it strange, he could blame it on the endorphins. He pulled back slightly, smiling at a slightly-frowning Naruto. His hands moved up a little to rest one on the nape of Naruto's neck and the other on his shoulder gently, pulling him to a favourable position.

Just as he was preparing to swoop down and knock Naruto senseless (because Uchihas did everything well, even kissing), Deidara grabbed Itachi's arm, pulling him roughly from Naruto and spinning him round.

"Second! You came second!" Deidara laughed, ignoring the faces around him. Kisame looked slightly horrified, eyes darting between the loudmouth and the Uchiha, Naruto was wincing, rubbing his neck where Itachi's hand had been tugged along on and Itachi looked as if he was about to murder Deidara.

Kisame cleared his throat. "Um, Deidara, I believe that we'll need to be getting on the road soon. I'm not sure how long the drive is, but I'm sure it'll take a while. Why don't you go check us out of the rooms." He waited until Deidara was fully focused on him. "We can really celebrate at the ranch, it'll be better than getting drunk in a hotel room."

Deidara nodded and bounded off to start getting ready. Once he was gone, Kisame turned to Itachi. "I'm going to walk her out and wash her off. She'll need to get ready for the trip, so I think I'll be a while; make sure I've worked out all the kinks."

Moving away at a slow walk, Kisame and Susanoo melded into the crowd, leaving Itachi and Naruto alone. Naruto glanced up at Itachi before looking back to the stables. He grabbed Itachi's hand, lacing his fingers with the older male's.

Without a word, he tugged them towards the barn and they walked in silence. Wichita greeted them, sticking his head over the door and nickering softly. Naruto brushed a hand over his nose briefly before leaning back against the wooden wall.

He reached out to pull Itachi closer to him, until their bodies were pressed up against each other once more. Itachi's arms circled around his waist and Naruto stood on his tiptoes to undo to the net that was holding Itachi's hair back.

The stable was empty, as the most of the riders were cooling their horses down and only the sounds of birds and a few horses shifting in their stalls sounded in the area. His hands threaded through Itachi's hair and he glanced into dark eyes.

"If you're not going to finish what you had planned on starting back there, then I will," he muttered softly. His eyes lowered to half mast as minty breath fanned against his lips.

Itachi's world seemed to shrink, narrowing down to the smell of horses and Naruto. The world carried on, as usual, around them, but Itachi didn't need that world. Naruto was here, in his arms, pressed to his chest and looking up at him, wrapped around his body and so, so alive.

With a heartbeat that must have been drumming at a thousand beats per minute, Itachi closed his eyes a little, leaning down to meet Naruto's waiting lips.

It wasn't a mind-numbing kiss, but Itachi initiated it with a slight thought of 'oh', as if it was the biggest surprise in the world. Thoughts escaped his mind as he focused on the feel of Naruto holding him, moving his lips against the blonde's and coaxing a response in mere nanoseconds.

After the initial comfort-seeking in the kiss, it changed to a more demanding one, Itachi determined to make Naruto remember this as their first (of many) kisses for years to come, despite whatever happened between them.

Naruto's fingers tightened in Itachi's hair, tugging slightly at the strands. He felt his back press up against the stable wall as the kiss grew more heated. They broke apart for a mere second before Itachi's lips were pressed against his once more, stealing his breath away.

It was something that Naruto had always laughed at, when he heard that expression. It seemed ridiculous because no one could steal someone's breath away. But as he trembled in Itachi's grip, he realized that maybe there was an exception to some rules.

He sighed softly as he pulled away and started to place kisses up Itachi's jaw, pausing to nip at the skin every now and then. It didn't matter that someone might walk in on them like this, he doubted he would even realize they were there at the moment. He just wanted to focus on this feeling that raced through his body every time he touched Itachi or was close to him.

Itachi wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, grasping for contact, fingers trailing against exposed skin, but he knew he wanted more the moment they were interrupted.

"Itachi?" a hesitant voice had called out and Itachi broke away for a moment, holding Naruto in place and turning to the voice. They couldn't be seen where they were standing, but Itachi didn't want anyone else to see Naruto like this, slightly dishevelled, but beautiful.

"Madara's on the phone..." Kisame paused, unsure whether he should linger for a bit or tell Madara Itachi was otherwise engaged. He could tell by the tone of his boss' voice that he was unhappy and didn't want to shatter the good mood Itachi was no doubt in at the moment.

Itachi's eyes widened and he apologised softly to Naruto, pushing away from where they had been leaning against and heading towards Kisame. He took the outstretched phone and held it to his ear, avoiding Naruto's eyes. If he looked at Naruto, he would smile. If he smiled, Madara would sense it and go off on one about that.

"Hello?" he said softly, wincing as the biting tone of his uncle came back at him. Itachi shuffled over to Naruto and smiled, looping an arm round the blonde's waist and resting his head on a firm shoulder, sighing as he had to put up with the barrage of insults and ranting Madara spewed as he told Itachi exactly what he thought of coming second.

Naruto glanced up at Itachi as the tone of an irate person left the phone's speaker. Whoever it was, he didn't like them already. He could feel Itachi's shoulders tensing as the one-sided conversation continued and he shifted to sit on a tack box.

Itachi joined him, sitting next to him and letting his legs dangle over the edge. With a sigh, Naruto turned around and rested his chest against Itachi's back while his arms circled the males shoulders. He pressed a kiss to the spot underneath Itachi's ear and felt a hand come up to squeeze his.

"Forgive me 'Tachi," he said softly in the free ear. He reached to the side and gently pulled the phone away from Itachi's other ear and brought it to his own after clearing his throat. "We're sorry sir or madam, but it seems like the minutes on this phone are set to end. Please hang up and try again later. If you have any questions, you may call our service desk. Thank you and have a good day."

The end key was pressed before the person on the other end had a chance to argue back and the phone was set down beside Itachi.

Itachi couldn't believe it. Naruto had done the one thing that everyone secretly wanted to, but never had the guts to do. He had just hung up on Uchiha Madara, one of the most famous men in the English riding world.

"Naruto..." he began softly, looking into deep blue eyes. "Do you know who that was?"

Naruto shrugged and Itachi began to smile. While he had known him for only a short period of time, it was evidently such a Naruto thing that he had just done. Itachi shifted them so that they were in a more comfortable position, Naruto leaning against him and Itachi's arms round his chest.

"That is my uncle, Madara. He's an ex-international competitor and is part of my sponsor."

Naruto's eyes grew wide and his mouth opened to form a small 'O'. Without a word, he held out the phone to Itachi. "I guess you'll need to call him back?" he said, although it came out sounding like a question.

Itachi shook his head and pushed the phone aside. "While I admit he is an amazing horseman, his temperament to humans leaves a lot to be desired. He thinks that everyone should bend to his will and that anything less than perfect is a failure." Itachi sighed, resting against Naruto's head for a moment.

"He had all of these plans for my brother, to train him to be the greatest rider in every discipline. Madara went crazy when he took off, stating that he couldn't do English anymore. It was then that I was brought back to his attention. I was given control of training and the stud, but free to compete my way and when I wanted. When my brother left... all of Madara's ideals were pushed onto me."

Itachi stopped for a moment, his hand running lightly over the skin on Naruto's arm. He was hardly aware of the motion and yet sought comfort from it.

"I had to be the best. I had to place first or there was something wrong with the horse or me. He couldn't ever accept that, sometimes, there are people who ride the course better than you.

"He'll see this as a failure rather than the amazing experience that it was. He won't be happy I'm not heading back right now either, but you know what? I don't care." Itachi chuckled, "I've got my horse, got my friends and I've got my Naruto. What else do I need?"

Naruto's head tipped back to look at Itachi and he smiled at the older male. He liked hearing those words coming from Itachi's mouth. He turned his head around and pressed a quick kiss to Itachi's lips.

"Nothing," he muttered softly. "That's all you need."

Itachi's arms tightened around his waist and Naruto sighed as he leaned back against Itachi's chest more. It reminded him of when they rode double the other day and he let his eyes slide shut for a brief second as he drifted back to that day, remembering the lack of pressure and how it was just them.

They'd get that chance again at the ranch, but first they had to make it through a day long drive. His shoulders slumped as he rested more against Itachi, enjoying the warmth that came from his body. Why hadn't someone invented teleporters yet? It would get them back so much quicker and they wouldn't loose this quiet moment together.

"A long trip ahead, just you me and the horses," Itachi said quietly, figuring it was what Naruto was thinking about. "Deidara and Kisame can take all of your stuff in our horsebox so that we just have the horses, but keep your bridle."

Itachi smiled, shifting to stand. "I was thinking on the rest-stops we can stretch the horse's legs by riding them for a while. And then switch driving of course, if you'll trust me."

They left the room, coming out into bright daylight and blinking. They needed to pack up and get on the road quickly if they wanted to spend most of the drive in the cool night. It would be tiring, yes, but at least it would be cooler and the roads clearer at night. They could always stop somewhere or get Deidara to drive them (Deidara owed Itachi a lot at the moment), but Itachi was itching to get to Naruto's ranch and just sleep with the blond in his arms.

"My trailer just needs some bedding and the horses will be ready to load," Naruto said as he stretched his arms and they walked to his truck. Deidara was parked next to his truck and was walking around the gooseneck trailer with an excited look on his face.

Naruto grabbed his own bag from the pile of bags that sat in the trunk of the car and tossed it into his truck with a grunt. He noticed that even Itachi seemed to stop and was looking at his trailer and Naruto poked him in the side.

"Something wrong?"

Itachi and Deidara had grouped together, muttering about something and pointing at Naruto's trailer.

Itachi had to agree with Kisame. Neither had seen a trailer like this back in England. It was almost like a solid horsebox, but attached to a truck or car. It looked very odd, though very stylish in a horsebox-y way.

"How cool is that!" Deidara exclaimed, pushing past Naruto and into the trailer. "Itachi! Get in here!"

Smiling at Naruto, Itachi walked past him and entered the trailer, noticing the neat stalls, enough for both Susanoo and Wichita to stay comfortably in. There was a smaller compartment area for tack, with two stands for two sets of saddles and bridles. Itachi noticed a few random additions of Naruto's, straw left over from the journey here that had survived the almighty clean and a magazine of Western riding.

Looking in someone else's horsebox or trailer was always fun. It was like looking into someone's new car, looking at what they had and you didn't. Not in a jealous way though, but in an interested way.

Naruto scratched his head, confused at the reaction his trailer had brought about. He'd figured that when Itachi had said horsebox, it was just another word for horse trailer. Perhaps he'd been wrong?

He moved to the other side of the trailer, listening to Itachi and Deidara talking. The sound of crunching gravel drew his attention away from the inside of the trailer and back to his surroundings. A large RV was pulling up beside his trailer and he cocked his head at Kisame as the man exited the vehicle.

"Nice RV," he said, looking over it.

Kisame chuckled. "Its our horse box, not quite like your trailer though."

Naruto looked over it once more and edged towards the horse box, before slipping inside without another word. Now he knew why Itachi and Deidara had been so excited to look around his. Their horse box was definitely different than his trailer.

It didn't attach to a truck like trailers in the States did but instead was its own vehicle, reminding Naruto of an RV. It still had its stalls for the horses as any trailer did, along with small storage areas to place tack and grooming supplies. A small section was divided off for a living area, although it probably wasn't the most comfortable to stay in for long periods of time.

Naruto ran his hand over the saddles that rested on the rack before jumping out of the fancy horsebox. He circled around it, looking at the rest of the details and enjoying the chance to see a different way to transport horses.

Once he had exhausted his curiosity, he drifted back over to his truck where the bags were being sorted out once more. It was starting to get late in the day and it would still take a few more hours to get the horses prepped for travel. By the time they got onto the road, it would be close to the evening hours.

He picked up a bale of hay that had been resting in the grass next to his truck and set it in the back. Everyone knew what had to be done so they could get on the road and went about their tasks with minimal talking.

Itachi sighed. It would be a while before they emptied everything out and were able to set off on the road, which meant the time before he could be alone with Naruto was a very long one. Or at least seemed like one.

"I'll go check on the horses and get them ready to travel. We need to clean out their boxes too," Itachi added as an afterthought, rolling his eyes at the true glory behind the events they held here. It was all just cleaning up and prepping in reality... why had he come again?

Oh yeah, the prize money, the fun and the luck of meeting Naruto. Perhaps things evened up after all.

Itachi walked back to the stables, feeling a little disappointed when Naruto stayed behind. Maybe the blond just hadn't noticed him leaving though and Itachi put hopes up that he'd be followed soon.

"Hello you two," Itachi greeted Wichita and Susanoo. A rare thing happened and Wichita walked over to the stable door, rubbing his nose against Itachi's outstretched hand. Itachi handn't been 'accepted' by the gelding before and it seemed as though the bay was acknowledging the relationship between his owner and Itachi.

"Thank you," Itachi whispered, pressing a kiss to one of Wichita's large cheeks, smiling as the whinny Susanoo let out in indignation.

"And thank you as well 'Noo," Itachi muttered, walking over to his mare. While she hadn't placed first, she was still a champion.

And, as earlier hoped, Itachi turned to see Naruto approaching them, wide grin on his face.

"At least this time they won't have to travel alone," Naruto said, tossing a wrap between his hands. "When we drove up here, I stayed in the trailer with Wichita to keep him company. Although I think my teammates enjoyed the silence too much in the truck and almost forgot to let me out at a rest stop."

He rubbed Wichita's nose and cooed at him before letting himself in the stall. He was excited to be going back home. He'd get to see his young calf's and the new foal that had been born recently before he left. And he'd get to show it all to Itachi as well.

The only downside to all this thinking was that eventually, Itachi would have to go back home to England. Naruto knew that his stud farm would be getting more attention now that Susanoo had placed so high in the events today. There was no way that he could ask Itachi to give something like that.

Pushing the thought away for a different time, Naruto focused on wrapping Wichita's legs for the ride home. The bay was excited, he knew what the wrappings meant and he shifted around and jerked his head in the direction of the stable exit.

Naruto laughed at the excitement in Wichita's body and patted his belly. In the next stall, he could hear Susanoo and Itachi shifting around too. It seemed that everyone was ready for a change of location.

"All right boy," Naruto muttered softly to him. "Let's get you home."

Itachi envied how easily Wichita was to set up for travelling. Susanoo was an awful fidget, never staying still long enough for Itachi to velcro her travelling boots up. He also needed to put her rug on, but she threw her head towards him, rubbing his shoulder instead of being helpful.

"Stop it you silly mare!" Itachi only received a more thorough rub and stumbled, grabbing onto Susanoo's side to stop from falling.

Eventually, though, Susanoo was suited and booted, ready for travelling. They joined Naruto and set out for their trailers, knowing that Deidara and Kisame would do the final checks over their areas, making sure they had everything. Itachi had also arranged with the organisers that Kisame was in charge of collecting his prize money as they could stay behind, while Naruto and Itachi could get straight out on the road.

Once the horses were passed off into Deidara's hands, they moved back to the stables so the stalls could be cleaned. It wouldn't take long and hopefully by the time they finished, the horses would be loaded and they'd be ready to go.

They cleaned out the stalls in silence, except for a random sneeze here or there. Naruto's mind drifted away as he tried to figure out what they could do while Itachi was visiting. They'd ride of course and he'd show him the new calves and some of the bulls, but would he want to stay on the ranch or go see other things?

"Itachi," he called out and paused as in his cleaning. "Do you have any ideas about what you'd like to do after we get to the ranch?"

Itachi set his broom aside for the moment and dug into his pocket, chewing thoughtfully on a polo as he turned to Naruto.

"Nothing." He smiled, seeing Naruto's deadpan expression. "We've had a few busy weeks of training and schedules... it may be quite nice to just see how things go, relax on a ranch and ride when we want to. We're all open to ideas but," Itachi pulled another mint out and popped it into his mouth, "None of us are planning to do lots of things unless you do them."

Itachi offered the packet of mints to Naruto, crunching the last remains of the one in his mouth.

Naruto shuffled forward to take a mint and popped it in his mouth. He sucked on it for a while and thought about Itachi's answer. Leaning against the door, he looked into the stall.

"Sleeping in late and just lounging around the house all day in nothing but boxers?" he said, almost as though he was speaking to himself. He nodded. "Yeah, I like that idea."

He'd have to bargain with Sasuke to take the later shifts so he could sleep in with Itachi, at least for a few days. He poked his tongue through the hole in the polo and then stuck his tongue out at Itachi. Sasuke would never let him live it down though.

Itachi smiled, plucking another mint and catching it between his teeth, showing the hole to Naruto. They both chuckles in a moment of childish humour, both turning back to finish up their stable cleaning.

As they parted ways for a moment, Itachi smirked to himself. Naruto lounging around in boxers? There was nothing he could think of that was better, unless it was both of them lounging around with a little less than boxers.

They both finished up and moved to the muck heap to dump the wheelbarrow loads. Itachi took a sideways glance to Naruto and walked a little faster, moving a little ahead of Naruto with a grin. Naruto seemed to catch onto what Itachi was trying to instigate and pushed his own barrow a little faster, moving in front of Itachi in the beginnings of a wheelbarrow competition.

With a laugh, Naruto jogged ahead of Itachi. He made sure that he didn't trip, as nothing would be worse than landing in soiled bedding and then driving home. Even after a shower, he'd feel dirty. They slowed down as they reached the dumping area, and Naruto leaned over the wheelbarrow handles, panting lightly for breath.

They emptied the wheelbarrows, chuckling at each other before carting them back to the barn. Naruto paused outside the shaded area, seeing Deidara checking the stalls for anything else that needed to be done.

Itachi stopped next to him and gave him a curious look. Grinning up at him, Naruto tugged the older male down until he could whisper in his ear. "Texas gets hot in the summer, more so than Kentucky right now. Lucky for us, we have a pond on our property that's tucked away in the trees."

He paused and looked back at Deidara. "Unlucky for us, we won't get a lot of privacy in it during the day." His voice lowered. "Unless you're willing to skinny dip at night, when only the moon will be out."

Itachi watched as Naruto backed away with a mischievous grin. The thought of skinny dipping shot straight to Itachi's groin and he fought back a groan. They had a long ride together and he didn't need the image of a wet, naked Naruto and not being able to do anything about it.

They returned to the trailers to find the horses geared up to go. Deidara was waiting at the side, by their horsebox, to bid them a goodbye.

"Kisame's got the instructions as well as the satnav programmed up. If we run into any trouble we'll use your phone. Naruto gave the numbers to Kisame too."

Itachi smiled, offering a hand to Deidara to shake. Kisame joined them to say goodbye as well and it was only a few minutes before Naruto and Itachi clambered into the truck, maneuvering carefully with the added load of the horses.

"On the road again," Naruto sang softly as they pulled out onto highway sixty. "I just can't wait to get back on the road again."

He grinned at Itachi before turning back to focus on the road. "Once we get there, my roommate is very anxious to um, meet you. He can be a bastard at times and likes to put up a rough front, but I don't think you'll have anything to worry about."

Traffic was already light when they merged onto I-65 and the long trek began. They'd travel on this interstate for over a hundred miles before getting on a south bound interstate for another two hundred miles.

Just thinking about the length made Naruto sigh and he looked at the setting sun behind them. He couldn't wait to get home and into his own bed again.

"My family is full of bastards, I reckon I can handle your roommate." Itachi enjoyed Naruto's laugh and settled into his seat, closing his eyes as the day caught up to him.

"Your seats are remarkably comfortable," he commented, rolling his shoulders slightly. He wouldn't fall asleep because it wasn't fair on Naruto, but he needed to get comfortable.

"You know a lot about me," Itachi began, "But I know very little about you. Would you mind telling me about your team and what you did here?"

"Sure," Naruto said happily. Talking while driving was the best way to keep awake and he was glad that Itachi wouldn't be bothered by it. "I have two teammates; my roommate the bastard and a female named Sakura. She's went to A&M University for veterinarian school, and works near the ranch.

"She deals with larger animals more so than smaller ones, but she still knows how to patch up smaller animals every now and then." He looked at Itachi quickly. "She'll want to met you for sure. And she'll probably try to convince you to go out on a date with her, with promises of two-stepping and showing you a good 'ol Texas time." He drawled, his accent poking through some of his words.

Itachi chuckled. "I have a feeling I may have to say no to that and inform her I've found my 'good 'ol Texan time' - as you put it," Itachi had put on a very thick, rather awful, accent repeating Naruto's words and was pleased to find the blond snorted. "Though if she's a rare one and has a stash of tea, then I may have to migrate over to her."

Itachi saw Naruto's eyebrows shoot up, no doubt wondering if he was serious or not. Itachi waited a beat before deciding to put him out of his misery.

"Though I suppose I can wait for a good brew, provided I find other ways to entertain myself."

Naruto huffed slightly. "I'm sure we can find other ways to entertain you." He said and tossed a chip at Itachi. A crunching noise told Naruto that Itachi had decided to eat said chip and he grabbed one for himself.

"If not, we'll poke around and find you a good brew." Naruto nodded to himself and tapped his fingers along the steering wheel. He glanced into the rear view mirror and could see Wichita's nose poking at the grate that covered the window. The bay was like a dog sometimes.

Itachi followed Naruto's gaze and saw Wichita. If he could have reached he would have offered the horse one of the snacks, but they were much too far away.

"That would be lovely. I'll even get you to try a properly made cup of tea. Much nicer than what we had back at that restaurant." Itachi nodded sagely, popping another chip in his mouth.

"So what kind of things did you compete in Western? I don't know that much about it except general ranch things and barrel racing."

"Well, barrel racing is more a female sport, although I've done it a few times before just for fun. Wichita likes the change in pace at times. But last week we showed in reining; it's dressage for the Western saddle. You have to follow a pattern with different size circles and speeds, flying lead changes, and a few other things. The biggest thing the judges look for is the ability to do a sliding stop, that's the part that most people look forward too."

Naruto paused and gathered his thoughts. "I like cutting, since its useful in ranch life, but Wichita doesn't have the cow sense like my other horse does. When you compete in cutting, you don't tell the horse anything, he has to be able to sense what the cow is going to do and how its going to move." He glanced at Itachi. "I can show you one day if you want."

Itachi nodded, interested in the other type of riding. While he had never tried Western before, always thought of it a little slow paced, Naruto had opened his eyes to the interesting side of it.

"I'd like to. Maybe one day you can come back to the stud to see some of the horses there. Susanoo's Dam and Sire are permanent residents. We could take them out. Her Sire's an ex-racehorse, used to enter the Grand National and won it once, but her Dam can work up a speed when she wants." Itachi smiled. "I'll warn you now, I'll be terrible at Western."

Naruto laughed. "I won't be much better at English either, but if you're willing to try, I'll try too."

Thinking about going to see Itachi in England was both thrilling and saddening at the same time. It drove home a bit more that Itachi would indeed return home eventually. While Naruto had figured as much, he still liked to cling to the faint hope that maybe Itachi would like the ranch enough to want to stay.

He changed lanes and glanced at Itachi, watching as his eyes drooped slightly. "You know, if you're tired, you can sleep. I've driven alone for hours before, so I'll be fine. You had a long day too, even a small nap will make you feel better."

Itachi's back stiffened and he shook his head. "It's the principle of the matter. You're driving us there and it's only fair. I need to stay awake with you."

Their conversation dwindled a little as darkness enveloped them, drawing a close to the eventful day. Itachi began to relax even more, closing his eyes for a few seconds at a time, Naruto's occasional speech lulling him to sleep. With a little smile, Itachi's eyes rolled upwards slightly and his mouth slackened, head tipping sideways as he fell asleep properly. The smooth movement of the truck ensured that there were no jaunty angles to wake the Uchiha, but he still slipped down a little, coming to rest against Naruto's shoulder.

Turning his head slightly, Naruto nuzzled Itachi's temple. He reached out to adjust the seatbelt so it wasn't uncomfortable and slowly eased Itachi's torso down onto the seat. His fingers ran through Itachi's hair as his head rested on his thigh and the sounds of soft breathing filled the cab of the truck.

A smile crossed over Naruto's face as he turned the radio on, listening to whatever was in his CD player last as he continued down the darkened road.

  
**.**  


The sight of a long running white fence had Naruto bouncing happily in his seat. It was early morning, close to nine o' clock and Naruto knew that Sasuke would be waiting for them. The trip had taken a little longer since they had to stop a few times to stretch out the horses. And then of course, Itachi wasn't happy to wake up in Naruto's lap and demanded that he drive for a bit so Naruto could sleep.

A few hours later, Naruto woke up in Itachi's lap and they switched once again. They paused to watch the sunrise, as cliché as it seemed. But it still led to more kissing and a little bit of groping before they were on the road again.

Now though, they were so close that Naruto could practically taste breakfast. "Look 'Tachi," he said excitedly. "We're almost there."

Itachi looked out to a stereotypical white fence and surrounding fields. He could see a herd of cattle grazing lazily in one of the fields and unwound his window, looking out and enjoying the crisp breeze on his face. He couldn't wait to see Naruto's home.

In the back, the horses neighed, obviously sensing they were close to what would be home. Itachi smiled as he looked at Naruto, noticing the longing in his eyes. It was clear that Naruto was happy to be home.

They pulled round to a large car parking space, close enough to the house and adjacent barns, but far away that it could hold a few horseboxes and have enough space to load the boxes up.

Butterflies floated round Itachi's stomach as he knew the roommate would be showing up soon. For some reason Itachi needed to have their approval, otherwise he would feel as if he was taking advantage of Naruto and they wouldn't be able to have a full relationship while here, not with an angry roommate looking over his shoulder.

The truck came to a stop in front of the barn, kicking up dust in the process. Inside the trailer, Wichita whinnied loudly, wanting to be let out. Naruto laughed and jumped out of the truck, hurrying to the trailer door.

"I know, you impatient horse," he said with a grin. No doubt the loud cry had already alerted Sasuke that they were home. He was surprised the male wasn't sitting on the porch waiting for them.

He let Itachi lead Susanoo out first and then backed Wichita out. The bay looked around the land with his head held high and snorted happily.

Itachi got a good look around as he stroked Susanoo's neck absent-mindedly. It really was a beautiful area, land stretching for what seemed like miles around them.

Itachi frowned as Susanoo threw her head up, neighing loudly and wheeling round to look at the main house. She was never usually like this, even after long flights, and Itachi was worried.

"Susanoo?" he questioned lightly, trying to soothe her. Instead of calming down, though, she pricked her ears straight forwards and bunched her muscles, snorting and pulling away from Itachi.

The grey mare pranced on the spot, drawing Naruto's attention to her as well. Itachi once again brought his hands up to try and calm her when the leadrope was ripped from his hands, Susanoo pulling forwards with all of her might. Against such an opponent, Itachi stood no chance and could only watch as his horse made a beeline towards the person exiting the main house, hopelessly praying that she would calm down before she barreled into the man.

She did, halting and flipping her lip up, bobbing her head in greeting. Itachi stilled, frowning and wondering why she had taken off in such a manner, all for Naruto's roommate.

Naruto heaved a sigh of relief as Susanoo stopped in front of Sasuke. He was glad that she hadn't hurt herself and he jogged forward to grab her lead line before it became tangled in her hooves.

"Hey Sasuke," Naruto greeted and grabbed the lead line. "Isn't it great to have me back home again."

Sasuke looked up at Naruto, his shoulders tense. "What's this horse's name?"

Naruto ran a hand over Susanoo's neck. "She didn't mean any harm Sasuke. She's usually fairly calm, or at least from what I've seen of her so far." His eyes lit up and he grabbed Sasuke's hand, tugging him off the porch. "Come on, you still need to meet this pretty lady's owner. Remember, he's the whole reason you're out here right now?"

Slowly, Sasuke trailed after Naruto, a tightening feeling growing in his stomach with each step closer to the trailer.

As Susanoo returned with Naruto, Itachi found he couldn't move. He had heard Naruto call out his roommate's name, but had denied it for a hearing fault. There was no way that the ranch Sasuke had left home for was Naruto's. It was impossible.

Then again, all the signs were there. Sasuke looked almost the same as he had so long ago, yet he also looked older, more grown into himself. He was more muscular now and more comfortable in his own skin. There was also the fact Susanoo had taken off - which she had never done ever before - and there was good reason for this. Sasuke had been the one to name her when she was still a foal, on narrow legs and dark brown hair.

"Thank you," Itachi said softly, not meeting his brother's eyes as he took Susanoo back. He could feel the tension between them and Naruto's questions building up against it. How could he tell Naruto that his friend and roommate was his own brother?

Naruto cleared his throat, trying to clear out the tension. Seeing them together like this really did remind Naruto how he first thought Itachi looked like Sasuke in a way. "Um, 'Tachi, this is my roommate, Sasuke and Sasuke, this is-"

"Itachi, I know." Sasuke finished for him. He turned to Itachi with carefully guarded eyes. "I never thought I'd see you again, Itachi."

Itachi looked at Sasuke, pride welling up at how his little brother had coped so well in the wide world. "Fate is strange in some respects," he said quietly, loosening his grip on the leadrope. "I expect she's grown a bit, but she's the same creature that tried to follow you inside."

Itachi thought back to the time when Susanoo had been an adventurous foal, intent on following Sasuke around whenever Itachi couldn't be with her. She'd tried to follow him inside of the house and almost succeeded, only to be foiled by Madara.

Naruto blinked for a second before his eyes widened. He groaned and covered his face with his hand, not believing that he hadn't realized it before. "I didn't even pick up on that," he moaned. "I even read the name on the chart." He stated as he grabbed Wichita's leadrope and led him way so the two brothers could have a chance to talk.

Shifting a bit uncomfortably once Naruto left, Sasuke looked to Itachi again. "Yes, fate is strange at times, and sometimes cruel in her ways."

"Sasuke," Itachi began, unsure what to do. He wasn't sure why Sasuke was being so stiff and cold with him. All Itachi knew was that one day Sasuke had decided not to stay at home, to run off and dive off the English riding scale, converting to Western as he'd always threatened. Their parents just assumed it was a phase and he'd be back... years later and none of them had heard from Sasuke. Most people just assumed him dead.

Instead, Itachi settle for a more Naruto approach. "We've all missed you." Anger suddenly swelled up, not for Sasuke at leaving or lumping him with Madara's expectations, but for not even bothering to keep in touch. It had been almost a decade.

"What the hell did you think you could do? To just up and leave like that?" Itachi managed to keep his voice somewhat calm, yet Susanoo still picked up on the mood, ears flicking back as she swung her body round, aligning with Itachi and glaring at Sasuke. She whickered deeply in the back of her throat, challenging the younger Uchiha.

"People think you are dead Sasuke. Our parents read the obituaries every morning just in case your name turns up, finally, and they get some closure. No one ever talks about you and you..." Itachi swallowed deeply, taking a deep breath. "You may want to know that your first pony died shortly after you left. She was old, yes, but she never stopped looking for you in the mornings." Itachi wanted to be cruel. He wanted to tell Sasuke how much leaving had hurt him, but he couldn't say it outright.

Sasuke's fists curled. "I don't know what you're talking about, you're the one who sent the letter to me all those years back. You told me that I had disgraced the family name by even thinking about changing to Western and that you never wanted to hear from me again."

He sucked in a deep breath and could feel the tears starting to prickle at the back of his eyes. "And I did call home, or at least I tried to. But every time, it tells me that the number has been blocked. My letters come back marked un-sent or just never get returned at all.

"All this time, I've been trying to get a hold of my family; to tell them that I'm okay but I can't even get that. The most I can do is watch you compete on TV or on the damn computer." By now the tears had started to flow down his cheeks. Years of pent up anger was finally being released at seeing his brother.

Sasuke's knees threatened to give out and he just wanted to scream that everything had been denied to him, but the words wouldn't come out of his mouth. "No one cared anymore, Itachi. So don't you dare turn your fucking anger on me."

Itachi's eyes widened as Sasuke shuddered, the image of his brother as a small child returning full force. There was no way that he had ever been aware Sasuke was in contact with them, which meant either his parents had cut all ties with Sasuke or someone else had.

And considering his mother always looked at Sasuke's empty chair at the breakfast table with sadness clouding her eyes and Fugaku kept Sasuke's stick-horse drawing pinned up on his office wall, he couldn't imagine them wanting Sasuke out of their lives.

Which left one last person. One who would be opposed to someone they thought bound to greatness in English riding moving to Western. Someone who didn't understand the fun and joy or riding anymore, someone who would do what it supposedly took to create a 'perfect' rider.

Madara.

Itachi pulled Susanoo over with him as he wrapped his arms around Sasuke, holding him tightly as he cried.

"I'm sorry. We didn't know... Madara..." It didn't matter. Sasuke didn't need to know about that at the moment. "I love you, Sasuke. No matter what anyone says, no matter what anyone does, I always will love you. Remember all the times we looked at the stars and I told you about the Star Ponies? And remember when you rode with me for the first time? And how about your first race against me? You can't fake moments like that. No matter what happens, always remember them and know without a doubt that you're stuck being my little brother."

Itachi closed his eyes, holding Sasuke and wishing they could have done this years ago. "And little brothers are cursed by being loved by their big brothers."

Stubborn to a fault, Sasuke shook his head. He wanted to believe Itachi's words and some part of him already did. But it was still too early to really believe him. Given time, he knew that he would, but right now, Sasuke just wanted to spend some time alone so he could think.

Pushing back a bit, Sasuke rubbed at his eyes. "You should go see Naruto and take care of Susanoo. I need, I need a little time to think." He grabbed Susanoo's leadline and paused before leaving once more. "I- I'm glad to see you again Itachi, I really did miss you."

He walked away without another word and headed towards the fields where he knew Naruto would be. Sure enough, Naruto was perched on a railing, stroking a horse's neck while humming to himself.

The blond looked up as he approached but didn't say a word, knowing that Sasuke would want to be alone now.

"I'll empty out the trailer and store all the equipment," Sasuke said softly. "Go to him Naruto, he needs someone right now."

Naruto frowned. "What about you Sasuke? You're hurting too."

With a small smile, Sasuke shook his head. "Later. Right now I just want to be alone and think. Then you can try to cheer me up."

Huffing, Naruto jumped off the rail. "I don't try to, I do cheer you up." He hesitated before jogging away from Sasuke.

He could see Itachi still standing up by the trailer, looking a little uncertain as he approached. His arms circled around his back, hugging him tightly as he pressed his face into Itachi's back.

Itachi couldn't muster a smile and instead dropped the line connecting him to Susanoo, burrowing his head into Naruto's shoulder. He didn't care that he was crying at the moment - more like hopelessly sobbing - and even Susanoo wanted to join in the cuddle. She poked her nose between them, whiskers scratching against Itachi's face.

"Thank you girl," Itachi whispered, clinging to Naruto and turning slightly so he could see his horse. She snorted before turning round a little, wandering off to graze on some grass a little way off, keeping her vision on the pair with their arms wrapped around each other.

"I never thought I'd see him again," Itachi mumbled a few seconds later, enjoying the comfort he could seek from Naruto. "He just left and..." Itachi choked on a sob, sniffling rather pathetically. Madara would be ashamed of him, but Itachi no longer held the same opinions of his uncle anymore.

"He'll come around," Naruto said softly and tugged on Itachi's wrist. They were both tired; more so Itachi than himself right now and sleep would be the best thing. Sasuke would take care of Susanoo and the rest of their equipment while Naruto made sure that Itachi was taken care of.

Making sure that Susanoo was tied to the trailer, Naruto coaxed Itachi inside the house. The man's posture was tired and Naruto wondered what happened between the two while he was gone. He didn't even bother showing Itachi anything in the house, wanting to get him clean and in bed.

Finally, they reached his room and Naruto shut the door behind them. "Come on, a hot shower will make you feel better and then some sleep." He ran his fingers through Itachi's hair, combing out the knots and the small tie that held the hair back. Dark eyes glanced at him without response and Naruto leaned forward to cup his cheeks. "Please Itachi," he muttered softly.

Itachi desperately wanted to reassure Naruto everything was okay, but found he couldn't. It was anything but okay at the moment and seeing Sasuke for the first time in years brought back all the pain he had tried to push away. He'd missed Sasuke, wanted just to spend one more day with his brother if he could. He'd even sat on his bed once saying he'd never ride again - his favourite thing - if he could just see Sasuke again, know that he was safe.

And here he was. Safe on a ranch in the middle of Texas, thousands of miles away from their home in West Grinstead.

Barely noticing where Naruto was leading them, Itachi soon found himself in a bathroom, Naruto looking slightly hesitant about what to do next. Forcing a weak smile, Itachi made the decision.

"If you like I can call you when I'm dry. My clothes are with Deidara," he realised, wondering what he'd do.

Naruto frowned, that was a problem. His clothes probably wouldn't fit Itachi and he didn't think Itachi would like walking around in a wet towel all day. Finally reaching a decision, Naruto nodded and pulled out a towel from his linen closet.

"Shampoo and soap is in the shower, here's a towel and if you need another one, the rest are in here. Once you're done showering, get some sleep. My bed is much softer than the truck seats and has clean sheets; you'll be asleep before you know it."

Itachi's mouth opened to argue, but Naruto cut him off with a stern voice. "You need sleep Itachi. I'll come in and wake you up around noon-ish so you'll sleep again tonight." He glared, calling on the many glares Sasuke had given him to make his more effective.

Itachi didn't see the point in arguing and, as soon as Naruto left, climbed into the shower and rinsed the grime and sweat that had accumulated since the showjumping. As disgusting as it sounded, he hadn't showered since at least a day ago and the water on his body felt heavenly, washing away all the dirt easily. If only real life problems were that easy.

Itachi had to think now. It was clearly Madara's doing, but did he go back and call the man on it? Sasuke seemed happy here. Did he want to raise his family's hopes before turning round and saying that Sasuke didn't want to come back anyway? Itachi could imagine the look on his mother's face, terrible and haunting. He couldn't do that to her.

With a sigh, Itachi looked up into the spray of water, closing his eyes and opening his mouth like a fish. He needed to talk to Sasuke.

Turning the water off, Itachi stepped out of the shower and onto a waiting towel. He dried himself slowly, eyes heavy with sleep.

When he was done, he wrapped the towel around his body. Naruto had given him a massive towel, large enough to be hooked around his shoulders snugly and fall down to mid-thigh. Of course he wouldn't risk bending over in case anything happened to go on show, but with careful steps it would be a very comfortable journey to Naruto's bed.

"Naruto?" Itachi called, hoping the blond would hear him soon. As nice as the towel was, it was a little damp and the water had started to chill slightly.

Naruto poked his head into the bedroom and leaned out of the closet that he had been looking through. So far he hadn't found anything that could fit Itachi. He had sweats for winter, but it was the dead of summer and he wasn't going to think about pulling those out now.

"Well, I have extra boxers if you want to wear those," Naruto trailed off. "Or the other option would be to sleep commando. By the time you wake up, Deidara should be here and I'll have started laundry so you'll have something to wear."

He rubbed the back of his head, knowing that the suggestion seemed a little out there but it was the only other option. And Naruto had planned on running to the store to pick up something for dinner, so Itachi wouldn't have to worry about him wanting to sleep as well.

Itachi stepped into the bedroom, following Naruto's voice. He wiggled the top of the towel a little, testing the temperature and noting how hot it was, even this early in the morning. He gave a little smile, "I'll be fine as I am, thank you Naruto."

Itachi was directed to the bed and waited for Naruto to leave before dropping the towel. A nice sleep was just what he needed and Naruto's bed looked extremely comfortable, even with the bright orange and yellow colourings on the sheets. In fact, Naruto's whole room was very welcoming, a bright room but very homey.

For a moment, Itachi was sure he could hear the rumble of his horsebox, but he couldn't be sure. He smiled fully at Naruto and slipped slightly under the covers, covering his lap before flinging the towel away. It wasn't that he cared about Naruto seeing him naked, but more the fact that if he did see him naked, Itachi would want to do more than just sleep. And doing more... well, he was in no condition to really.

Once he was sure Itachi was settled, Naruto moved closer to the bed. He knew that it was getting warm already and he made sure that Itachi wouldn't need a floor fan or something else to keep the room cool. He paused once everything was taken care of and pressed a quick kiss to Itachi's cheek, wishing him pleasant dreams before slipping out of the room.

He padded down the hallway and into the living room. For a second, he stared out the window where he could see Sasuke unloading the trailer. He'd tackle that hurdle soon enough, but for now he'd respect Sasuke's request to think things over for a bit.

Grabbing his keys, Naruto jogged outside where his truck waited for him. It was still hooked to the trailer and Naruto flagged Sasuke down. "I'm gonna run to HEB for some dinner, anything you want?"

"What's on your mind?" Sasuke asked curiously as he balanced a saddle on his hip.

"I was thinking grilling out some ribs. We could do some brisket later on, but that's an all day affair."

Sasuke seemed to think it over. "Get some brisket for tomorrow then and something light for tonight." He dug through his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper that had his handwriting scrawled across the surface. "Stop by this store and ask for these leaves too."

Blue eyes glanced down at the page and they read over one of the words. "Darjeeling?" he asked. "What are you having me pick up? Some new type of horse healing balm that I've never heard of?"

Snorting, Sasuke shooed him away and vanished into the barn with the saddle. Naruto huffed at him and quickly unhooked the trailer and climbed into the truck. The sooner he left, the sooner he could come back and just relax.

With a roar, the truck took off down the dirt road, country music blaring through the open windows. Sasuke shook his head from inside the barn and lifted the saddle onto the rack, wondering what other surprises would come from living with Naruto.

As the truck passed them, Kisame lifted a hand from the steering wheel, greeting Naruto as he passed. Deidara waved a hand enthusiastically, smiling heartily at Naruto's returning wave.

"We're here Kisame! Finally at a ranch!" Deidara inhaled deeply. "Can't you smell that country air? Isn't it glorious?"

Kisame rolled his eyes, glad when he'd finally be able to be rid of Deidara. A long journey with the blond was enough for now and he desperately needed to get rid of the man for a while.

They pulled round to where Naruto's trailer was, parking neatly and coming to a full stop. They both climbed out, stretching their legs, and Deidara wobbled over to Kisame, running slightly.

"Look at the fields! And did you see those bulls when we came in!" Deidara smiled, slightly scaring Kisame. "I'm going to stay here forever!"

"Naruto will kick you out in a day, don't plan on staying here forever."

Deidara huffed, turning around. His mouth fell open as he saw someone exiting the nearby barn, looking in the opposite direction but very recognisable.

"Kisame!" Deidara hissed, pulling his friend down so that they were hiding behind the horsebox. "Do you see what I see?"

The taller man frowned in confusion. Deidara was off again. "You mean the glorious grass? The wonderful fields? The magnificent barn? Get over it Deidara, it's getting annoying now."

The blond narrowed his eyes. "You idiot, of course not! I'm so over those things." Kisame doubted that a lot. "I mean look over there! It's my little lightning boy!"

Kisame's head jerked to the side as Deidara pulled his arm, forcing him to look in the direction of the dark haired man walking to Naruto's trailer.

"No," Kisame said, sounding slightly scandalised.

"Oh yeah," Deidara said, glee seeping into his voice. "It's like the soaps I watch at home!" He gasped suddenly, hands clutching Kisame's arm. "Do you think Itachi knows about this! And where is he anyway... you don't think-"

Deidara cut himself off, causing Kisame to jump as a hand tightened on his arm. "They've killed him! They've killed Itachi and that's why Naruto was leaving! To bury the body... oh Kisame! What have we done!"

Kisame closed his eyes slowly, taking a deep breath in and counting to ten. "I hardly think they've killed him. Why don't you just go and talk to Sasuke - if it really is him - and ask."

Deidara caught his bottom lip in his teeth for a moment before nodding. "Fine. But if they murder me too, I'm coming back to haunt you."

With that, Deidara took off across the ground, sneaking slightly. Sasuke was out of sight at the moment, unloading the trailer, and it would be the perfect time to sneak up on his adversary. He would also take this chance to find out why Sasuke had left.

Sasuke hummed as he draped the halters on his arm, pulling them up to rest on his shoulder. Orange and black patterned leadropes dangled from them and he looped them up into his hand so he wouldn't trip. He exited the trailer and headed back to the barn, sorting out everything that still needed to be done.

He grunted as he was tackled from behind and he went down in a cloud of dust. His hands clawed at the ground, trying to get away from whatever it was that was holding him down. He knew it couldn't be Itachi, and Naruto was already gone.

His only other thought was that it might be Sakura, but she had learned by now that he didn't like being greeted like this. His body wiggled enough to get one hand free and he brought it to his mouth.

A loud whistle echoed across the fields and for a moment, the person holding him down froze. A few seconds later, the running feet sounded on the dirt path and Sasuke watched as a black goat ran towards him.

Deidara had acted, once again, before he thought. But the leadropes could have been deadly weapons, about to strangle them and he had to tackle Sasuke to the ground. His plan had been working perfectly, all he needed to do was wrench the orange and black ropes from Sasuke and tie his killer hands up and then they could talk. No matter what Kisame said, he couldn't trust Sasuke, at least not while Itachi was AWOL and possibly missing.

He hadn't, however, factored a goat into the equation. A stocky black creature came darting from god knows where, head low and small horns at perfect Deidara-stabbing height. The blonde's eyes widened as the goat charged, taking a few steps forwards before assessing the situation.

And then the goat moved, pushing forwards and headbutting Deidara in the chest. Winded, the man scuttled away from the goat, finally realising how they had killed Itachi. Very clever, getting the goat to do the dirty work.

The goat moved forwards again, attacking Deidara's leg with headbutts. They were rather painful for such a small animal and Deidara could hear Kisame's laughter. How was this fair? Here he was, defending Itachi's honour and avenging his death and all his 'friend' could do was laugh!

With a determined bleat, the goat stomped its legs, eyeing Deidara up in a way that made him uncomfortable. Did goats have a hitman society? Or a mafia? Because this goat was surely a killer goat.

"KISAME!" Deidara shouted as the little animal moved again, charging will intent to kill - or so Deidara thought.

Sasuke stood up and brushed the dirt off his body as Lulu chased after the blond haired male. Once the dirt and dust was gone, he turned around and watched as Deidara tried to climb onto the roof of the trailer

Lulu paced below him, waiting for Deidara to slip and fall before pouncing once more. He glanced to side as Kisame walked up to him and watched the scene with amused eyes.

"Should I even bother to ask why you're here?" Sasuke asked. "Or should I just assume that you're here because Naruto invited you as well."

With a tired sigh, Sasuke walked up to the trailer where Deidara was clinging to the top and watching the goat pace below with wide eyes. As he came closer, Deidara looked at him and pointed a finger.

"You!" He exclaimed.

"Me," Sasuke answered.

Deidara slipped a little, biting back a retort. Sasuke had the evil goat on his side. "Fine, I'll surrender if you call your evil minion off." He glared at the goat, who bleated happily.

"But don't think we'll let you get away with what you've done, Uchiha! We know what you did to Itachi! Do you really think we wouldn't be able to sense a murder crime scene when we came across one?"

Deidara was adamant. If Itachi was alive then he would have come to help him by now.

"Give it a rest Deidara," Kisame said, approaching the group and greeting the goat with a smile. "Hello there little thing," he said, scratching behind floppy ears.

"K-Kisame! You traitor!"

"Crime scene?" Sasuke asked, drawing Deidara's attention back to the Uchiha. "This isn't a crime scene. Itachi is inside the house, asleep. Although probably with all the yelling you've done, he'd be awake by now."

He snorted and picked up the halters once more from the dirt. He brushed off the dust and set them on his shoulder once more, focusing on his task so he didn't have to see his brother's teammates.

Turning around to look at the goat, he smiled. Evil minion indeed. He couldn't see any part of the goat that even looked evil. And besides that, it wasn't really his goat to call off; it was Naruto's. The blond had trained the goat to be a good watch goat ever since she was given to him.

Now Naruto's dog on the other hand, was evil. The little shit knew how to open doors and would often pounce on him in the mornings while he was still asleep. Funny how Naruto never saw the Koolie do any of these things.

"Naruto will be back from the store soon," Sasuke said. "You're free to look around until then."

Deidara managed to clamber down, hiding behind Kisame the first chance he had, putting his new bodyguard inbetween the goat and himself.

"You know, you do owe me a full Western shoot out," Deidara commented lightly to Sasuke, remembering years ago a promise that had never been fulfilled. It took Sasuke a moment but he seemed to place it in his mind a few moments later.

"And after all we've been through, I do think I deserve a proper game. Water pistols perhaps?" Deidara sniffed, putting on a haughty air. "Maybe we should have teams. Cowboys and Indians and the like."

Internally, Deidara was cheering. He'd always had a dream to have a mock battle and where better than on a ranch? He could see it now, the five - maybe six if Naruto's other team mate joined in - of them battling each other, water pistols loaded and horses ready.

Kisame ignored Deidara as he drifted off into his own world, a little smile on his face.

"Thank you, kid, we'll go take a look around the house, take Naruto and Itachi's stuff in."

Sasuke paused in his steps and finally turned back around to look at Deidara and Kisame. "Did you ever happen to get any letters in the mails from the States?"

They looked confused at his question, but Kisame shook his head. "Not that I remember seeing. Then again, we were usually out training with Itachi when the mail came in. Most times a stablehand would pick up the mail and sort it out."

Frowning, Sasuke moved closer to them again. "Itachi never wrote a letter to me?"

This time, Kisame frowned. "We never had an address to send a letter to. If he did, Itachi wouldn't have sent a letter; he would've been on the first plane out to see you. Along with your mum and dad."

The sentence made Sasuke's eyes close briefly, relief spreading through him. Itachi hadn't been lying when they had talked earlier. While the news still didn't patch all the pains in his heart that had grown during his years away from home, it was a start.

Feeling a bit lighter, Sasuke headed back to the barn with a wave of his hand. When Naruto came back, he'd have to take up the offer to talk. Then maybe he could face Itachi.

Deidara was the first to enter the house, looking round the building with a smile. Pictures of cattle and horses lined the walls, memorabilia of past guests to the ranch. They moved through to the kitchen, Deidara making himself a drink of water and sipping it happily, looking around once more.

"You know, it's very clean," he commented, looking around with a nod. "You'd expect it to be all dusty and straw everywhere, but it's very nice."

Kisame snorted, "Probably because Sasuke's a clean freak. Remember how he used to organise all his toys when we were teenagers? Doubt it grew out of him."

Deidara nodded thoughtfully. "I don't want to pry... but do you think they'll be okay? I don't know what happened but Sasuke seemed sad."

Kisame was about to answer when he noticed something trotting past the kitchen door. There was a dog toy on the floor so he just assumed it was the dog that had passed by, but why wasn't it greeting them? Not a very good guard dog.

"I'm sure they'll work through it. Naruto seems to be good and working with Uchiha's. First Sasuke and now Itachi. Bet you anything if you introduced him to Mikoto, she'd love him in heartbeat." Kisame said as he glanced down the hallway.

He watched as the dark colored dog trotted up the steps and sniffed the floor. It let out a huff and turned around a corner vanishing from view. Odd, but he'd seen odder things from animals before. The guard goat was a good example. So long as Naruto didn't have any geese nearby, they'd be good; nasty little things.

Upstairs, a wet black nose trailed along the wooden floor and rugs. There was a new smell that was present in the house, one that ran alongside his master's. Pausing outside the closed door, the dog sat down on the rug.

Outside, he could hear the blonde's truck pulling up the driveway. The unmistakable sound of the powerful engine running mixed with music. He ignored it for the time being and stood up on his haunches, resting front paws on the door handle.

He pushed down on it and the door swung open, allowing him free access to pad inside. The smell of his blond owner was strong, and he knew that the male had come back recently. With a low yelp, he bounded over to the bed and pounced onto the top, ready to greet his master when he came up.

Itachi bolted upright as something landed on his stomach, four pressure points digging in. He groaned as he opened his eyes, coming face-to-face with a patchy white face and light blue eyes.

"What-"

A yowl escaped the dog's mouth and he tilted his head, pushing Itachi back onto the bed as he climbed up the man's chest. While the dog was cute, it was slightly crushing him and, well, it hurt.

"Get off me," Itachi managed out, ignoring the panting creature and trying to push it off. The dog gave a whine, snuffling its nose near Itachi's face. Itachi pulled back, not wanting the dog to lick him. He knew where dogs licked and where they liked to sniff. He also knew that, as a ranch dog, this one had access to all you can eat poo, which he probably indulged in happily.

The dog whined again, settling down and curling up, slipping halfway off of Itachi and lessening the pressure. Now that the dog wasn't crushing him, Itachi had to admit he was very cute.

"Well I suppose you are rather cute aren't you." The dog leant into Itachi's hand as he scratched behind one ear, smiling at the way he closed his eyes.

His tail thumped against the bed happily. This new human was nice and he smelled like his blond owner.

Downstairs, the front door opened and his head shot up, ears perked forward. Voices drifted up to him, and he picked out one that he knew well. Jumping to his feet, he barked loudly and then turned around to nose the other human. Barking happily, he looked towards the door as footsteps sounded on the floor.

He spun around to whine his excitement to the other male before turning around again to face the door. The door opened and his name left his owners lips.

"Axel, leave him alone," Naruto scolded gently. He turned to Itachi as the Koolie trotted over to his side. "Sorry Itachi, I guess I didn't close the door enough. "

Itachi smiled, "It's okay. I'm used to cats crawling all over me. The mousers don't quite understand they're supposed to live in the barn and even if it's not them it's the dogs. He's not so bad once he stops crushing you."

Naruto chuckled, warming Itachi in ways the sun never could. He had woken up in a good mood, the little nap clearing his feelings and tiredness for the moment. He wondered how long he'd been asleep and what the others had done in that time.

"Are Deidara and Kisame here yet?" Itachi asked, wondering if he'd have to fashion a toga from some sheets or if he had proper clothes coming.

"Yes," Naruto answered and flopped down on the bed. "I was going to the grocery store when I passed them. It was such a long trip to get food too! Remembered that we needed some leather cleaner so had to swing by the tack store before I went to the grocery store. Was dragged into a conversation with the owner and finally escaped to pick up food."

Naruto paused, realizing that he still hadn't given Itachi anything to wear. He leaned over to dig through the duffle bag that Deidara had given him and handed Itachi some clothes. He stood up and crossed the room to look at the clock that rested on the dresser. Itachi had slept for a few hours, and was probably hungry considering it was close to one.

"I'm gonna head downstairs and make something to eat. Come on down when you're dressed and I can show you around after we eat."

Itachi ruffled through the bag when Naruto left, ignoring the staring dog Naruto had left behind. "Stop it," he said, not wanting to change when the dog was in the room. Axel whined once before clawing the door open and padding away. Itachi sighed and strode over to the door, finally able to just be naked and change.

The clothes in the bag were casual ones, good for slobbing around and general outside work. He pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a fading t-shirt, dressing quickly and not bothering about boxers.

Itachi left the bedroom a moment later, retying his hair as he walked. He followed the sound of voices and entered the kitchen, smiling to the people there.

Naruto looked up as Itachi came into the kitchen, hand paused over a chicken breast. He smiled at the Uchiha and moved the pieces into a pot. Axel lifted his head in greeting before flopping it back down on Kisame's feet.

"I'm making chicken and dumplings, is that okay? If not, we have lots of food in here," Naruto kicked the pantry door open. "Mac and cheese, bread if you want a sandwich and pasta. Oh and I was told to pick up some leaves, can't pronounce them, but I was told you'd like them. They're sitting on the table if you want to look."

Itachi walked over to the table in curiosity, wondering what leaves Naruto meant. Salad maybe? He took one look at the package and his jaw dropped a little, staring at the package in silence.

"Itachi?" someone asked, but Itachi waved them off, reaching for the box of tea.

"Oh god, who gave him the Darjeeling?" Kisame asked, shaking his head. Deidara snorted, leaning back in his chair and stretching his arms.

Itachi moved to the side, where a kettle had been set up. Not as good as a teapot, but close enough. He rooted around in the cutlery drawer for something he could use as a strainer and brought out a spoon, waiting for the kettle expectantly.

"Hint to Naruto, Itachi will be out for a while. Darjeeling's his favourite tea. I'm impressed you knew though," Deidara commented, not having heard what Naruto had said about being told.

"Dar-what?" Naruto asked, looking up from the pot. He noticed the box in Itachi's hand. "Oh, that's how you pronounce it. Tea huh." A chuckle left his mouth as he stirred the chicken and dumplings.

He was wondering what Sasuke had given him such a specific task, but now it all made sense. At least now Itachi would be able to enjoy the tea that he seemed to love so much. As for Naruto, he was fine with a glass of ice tea every now and then.

Still, he didn't need to say who had told him about the tea leaves. Itachi probably knew anyway.

With a small smile, he pulled the pot off the stove and set it on the table. Bowls were already set out for everyone, along with some glasses. "Well, we're kinda informal here, so just dig in and have as much as you want."

Itachi broke away from the tea and could smell the wonderful scent of cooked chicken. He sat down in a free chair and placed the tea next to him, prepared to glare at anyone who tried to move it. They all began to dig in when the door opened slightly and Sasuke came in.

For a moment, everyone froze, looking between the two brothers. Deidara had stuffed his mouth already and paused in chewing while Kisame greeted the scene with an even stare.

"Thank you for the tea," Itachi said, shifting his chair slightly so that there would be enough room if Sasuke chose to sit next to him. They had a million things to sort out between them, but they could call a temporary truce.

Sasuke moved closer to the table and picked up Itachi's tea, taking a small sip. He set it down, shaking his head. "Too hot for this weather, but still as good as I remember it." He turned towards Naruto. "You didn't put a lot of pepper in did you; last time it was all you could taste.

Naruto stuck his tongue out. "Says you, you're just jealous that yours blew up in your face. See that spot on the ceiling, that's where I had to scrape off the soup part after it hardened to the roof."

Grunting, Sasuke took a seat next to Itachi, reaching for the pot and scooping some into a bowl. "And you see that milk you're about to drink, it's expired. You still haven't learned to check the milk expiration dates; you do everything else though."

Milk bubbled out of Naruto's mouth and back into the glass as his jaw fell slack. He slammed the glass down on the table. "Why didn't you throw it out then you bastard?"

Sasuke smirked. "Welcome home Naruto."

Stomping into the kitchen, Naruto grumbled. "You're lucky Sakura still thinks it was some random drunk teens who drove through her garden that night."

Sasuke stiffened at the unspoken threat and rubbed his forehead. "There's some new milk at the back of the fridge." He rolled his eyes at Naruto as the blond shuffled through the refrigerator before realizing that everyone was staring at them. "It's normal," he said with a shrug, although a small smile had settled on his face.

They ate in comfortable companionship, talking about safe, general things, such as the weather and what there was around the ranch. They stayed away from riding itself, as it was evidently a sore spot between Sasuke and Itachi, but for the most part it was a pleasant meal.

All of a sudden, Deidara gasped, causing most occupants of the table to look at him in shock. Axel bolted upright, barking at an assumed intruder. Naruto calmed the dog down with a smile that told everyone it was common for him to bark at silly things.

"Naruto, please, Naruto!" Deidara looked much like a child, rather than the grown man he (debatably) was. "How many horses do you have here?"

Naruto set his spoon down and looked at Sasuke as they silently thought about it. "Well, not all of them are ours, since a few are from boarders. But we have eight total, nine if you now count Susanoo. I'm sure if we had a few more people around the ranch we could have more, but for now, eight is enough."

He shoved the last bit of dumpling into his mouth and chewed carefully. He wanted more of course. To be able to start his own stud, but for now it seemed as though breeding cattle was the next best thing. Eventually, he assumed that he could get enough hired hands and create a stud, but that was still far away. He was still learning and didn't want to run head first into an operation like that without any idea on what was going on.

Deidara turned to Kisame, who shook his head. "No Deidara. Absolutely not."

With a frown, the blond then turned to his team captain, eyes wide and pleading. Itachi took a sip of his tea and raised an eyebrow. "What?" There was a silence and it suddenly struck Itachi as to what Deidara wanted to do. With a sigh, he set the mug of tea down and turned to his friend.

"Dei, they're not our horses. Just because we're on a ranch doesn't make it acceptable to use other people's horses in your dream. They're working horses here, and besides, running a ranch is similar to running a stud and is a full time job. They can't be expected to just drop their jobs."

Itachi returned to his tea, smiling slightly as the floral taste invaded his senses.

Sasuke nodded. "While that is true, we are in a bit of a down time right now and could probably squeeze in Deidara's childish dream in one day. I'm sure the horses wouldn't mind getting sprayed down with some water."

"However," Naruto spoke up. "All our horses are trained Western; we'd have to ride bareback to make things fair. Sasuke and I each have two horses, and Itachi has Susanoo."

Snorting, Sasuke turned to Naruto. "No one is going to be able to ride Kyuubi though; that stallion only likes to listen to you."

Naruto shrugged. "So I'll ride either him or Rena. That mare can use the down time to just relax. She's been training hard." He turned to Itachi. "Would you be okay riding Susanoo in something like that?"

Itachi looked up, nodding. "We could all do with a bit of fun as a downtime. Plus I doubt Deidara's the only one who's had fantasies like this. I know certain people, after watching Lord of the Rings, wanted to join in the battles." Itachi sneaked a glance at Kisame, who was pointedly looking the other way.

Deidara looked ridiculously happy. "You're not just being kind are you? You actually mean this? Like... really mean it?"

Deidara didn't wait for a reply before flinging his arms around Naruto, launching up from his seat. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I can tell Sasori that it finally happened!"

No one really knew what to do with Deidara in this mood and simply smiled at him, chuckling somewhat nervously. In all truthfulness, Itachi was looking forward to it. Not only would he get to see Naruto and his other horses, but he'd be able to watch Sasuke ride.

Naruto stood up and carried his bowl to the sink. He needed to make some rounds around the ranch before he could figure out what they could do in the next few days. Some of the cattle had to be branded and others were going to be looked at by the local FFA students.

He couldn't wait to ride Kyuubi again when they cut the herd for the jobs. It had been a while since he had ridden Kyuubi for the purpose of cutting, but it would be nice to get back in the saddle.

"Sasuke, when are the students stopping by?" He asked.

"Tomorrow afternoon after school." Sasuke answered, adding more chicken into his bowl.

Naruto nodded. "I think I'll separate them tonight so they'll be ready later. I can look over them once more in the morning. Branding will take a while tomorrow and I don't want to run out of time."

Itachi watched in interest, not really understanding the actual things they'd be doing but knowing it was important ranch stuff. Maybe he could find a book to read or something while Naruto was doing this stuff, to keep out of the way and avoid bothering him. Or maybe he could go with Deidara and Kisame somewhere, make up for the time they had let him have with Naruto.

After putting the dishes in the dishwasher, Naruto looked at Itachi. "Would you like to come watch or would you rather stay inside where it's cool?" He asked with a wide grin. He didn't blame Itachi if he wanted to stay inside, and watching him work around the ranch probably wasn't all that fun either.

Itachi blinked. Had Naruto really just offered? he risked a glance to Deidara and Kisame, noticing the slight smirk on Deidara's lips.

"Sure... that would be lovely. If it's not too much trouble," Itachi said, wondering how nice one person could be. Or maybe Naruto just wanted to spend time with him? Hopefully. That was the much better of the two options.

Naruto waved a hand. "Nah, its not trouble at all. I just don't want you to force yourself to sit out in the sun if you don't want to. Just need to change real quick." He muttered and vanished up the steps.

  
**.**  


A couple minutes later, Naruto trotted down the steps with a black cowboy hat on his head and chaps covering his jeans. He wouldn't need them so much today as he would tomorrow when he branded the cattle, but he might have wanted to dress up a bit for Itachi.

He could see Sasuke snorting at him and shot him a glare before handing a spare hat to Itachi. "You'll want this." he said, smiling.

Itachi took the hat in his hands, looking between it and Naruto. "Um," he said un-intelligently. "Naruto?"

There had to be a mistake. Itachi couldn't wear this! He'd look even more ridiculous than he did already! Especially next to Naruto who... well, looked rather drool worthy (and Itachi had to forcibly remind himself that they had company in the form of his team members and his brother and it would be highly inappropriate to just jump Naruto right here and now).

Naruto cocked his head. He wasn't sure why Itachi was balking; the black hat would look good on him. He wondered if he could convince Itachi to put some chaps on his jeans too and maybe just walk around without a shirt.

Pushing the thought aside for a different time, he pulled Itachi out of the chair. "Come on, we need to get you into some jeans; you'll roast outside in sweats." He leaned in closer so his lips brushed against Itachi's ear. "And then you can put the hat on, so you only look sexy for me."

Itachi raised his eyebrows, content to be pushed from the room. Maybe the hat would be okay after all, especially if Naruto had requested it personally. "I'll just go change then," Itachi said, walking to Naruto's room and closing the door.

As soon as the door was closed, Itachi emptied the duffel bag, swearing as he dug for his jeans. He had the perfect pair in mind, a pair that were a little tight at the top, but wider at the bottom. It had been said that they accentuated all his graces (namely his toned bum from riding) and made him look great.

Itachi wasn't vain and hardly believed they made him look that good, but if Naruto's eyes could be drawn somewhere then Itachi would take full advantage of the situation, to negate the fact he would look stupid in the hat - regardless of what Naruto said.

"There!" he said and quickly changed trousers, careful of the zipper on the way up. They weren't so tight that you could see an underwear line, but Naruto didn't know that. And what Naruto couldn't see, he could imagine.

Oh yes, Uchihas were downright nasty when it came to seduction.

Naruto stood on the mat by the door, waiting for Itachi to come back down. Sasuke had already yelled at him for walking around in his boots after the house was just cleaned. Naruto had laughed but stood obediently on the mat.

His eyes traced over Itachi's body as the man descended the steps, glad that his hat shaded his face so no one else could see him checking out the male. He ignored Sasuke, who was once again chuckling at his expense before walking outside to the porch with Itachi.

He waited as Itachi slipped his boots on, noting that he'd need to give Itachi some cowboy boots before they walked out to the barn in silence. Once they were in the barn, Naruto plopped the hat on Itachi's and threw him a smoldering look as he pulled the Uchiha closer.

"Very sexy," he muttered.

Itachi smirked, looping fingers into Naruto's waistband, pulling him flush against him. "I could say the same thing to you too, Naruto." His voice was husky, matching the cool shade around them.

Itachi leant down slightly, planning on kissing Naruto senseless in the barn. Instead it didn't quite go to plan, with their hats bumping and Itachi's slipping down over his head. A whinny from around them came at the perfect time and Itachi spared a glare in the direction, before a hand looped round the back of his head and tugged him down.

Perhaps it wasn't so bad, not being in control the whole time. He considered it while he was kissing Naruto, the feeling unlike any other he'd experienced. He'd had kisses before - good ones to boot - but this one... Itachi could die a happy man if he was killed while kissing Naruto.

Naruto's fingers threaded through Itachi's hair, trying to pull him in closer than he already was. His thoughts trailed to less than innocent thoughts involving the empty tack room and a naked Itachi but he was able to push it away; just barely.

They broke apart, breath fanning across each other's mouth before Naruto leaned forward again. He nipped lightly at Itachi's lower lip, drawing it in between his teeth and pulling at it gently. Balancing on his tiptoes again, he pulled Itachi into a deep kiss, taking his time to savor the feelings that raced through his body and the taste of Itachi.

Itachi's hands trailed across Naruto's back, occasionally clinging with his fingers, indenting the fabric. His tongue gently swept across Naruto's lips, mingling with the blonde's and smirking as he was pushed backwards a little, against a wall with a Naruto happily attached.

They broke apart for a moment to draw in air, during which Itachi moved to Naruto's jaw, planting smaller, but just as passionate, kisses along the bone-line. Naruto smiled, pulling Itachi's face round gently and kissing him once again.

It was a short kiss, but still passionate and for a moment, they just rested against each other. Their foreheads touched and Naruto's eyes closed as they stayed still for a while. Sighing softly, Naruto opened his eyes a bit. "We should probably move," he muttered but his body stayed still.

Itachi hummed in agreement. They probably should, but where was the fun in that? "I'd prefer to stay here, but I guess there's a time and place for everything eh?" Itachi's arm snaked round Naruto's waist.

They stood up together, hands linked. Itachi picked his hat back up, placing it jauntily on his head. Naruto smiled and corrected the angle. "Good thing you're here Naruto," he said, grinning sheepishly.

"Do I get to meet the mysterious horses you have tucked away here?" Itachi asked.

Naruto grinned as they moved past the stall. "Of course," he answered and stopped outside a stall. "This is Kyuubi. He's my best working horse. Wichita doesn't have that great of cow sense, but Kyuubi makes up for it."

A red chestnut pranced around in the stall as Naruto peered inside. He had missed Kyuubi while he was gone and instantly had a horses head pressing against his chest. The stallion huffed, breathing in the new smells that floated off the blond before turning his head to the new person standing next to Naruto.

His nose stretched out, sniffing over the male and picking up the blonds smell that seemed to mix together with the person. Kyuubi snorted and pushed his nose into the males chest, trying to get a bit closer.

Itachi smiled at the large horse, admiring his coat. It was a fiery red, a hint of liver, but beautiful. Muscles rippled under the hair, showing that that this horse wasn't one to be taken lightly. A working ranch horse he may be, but he could be a war charger from past cavalries.

"Aren't you a fine fellow?" Itachi said, reaching his hand out gently. The horse pulled his head back for a moment, flicking his ears back. It was then Itachi remembered that Sasuke had called this horse - Kyuubi - unrideable to anyone but Naruto.

"It's okay, I won't hurt you or anything. I just had to tell you that you looked very smart. Not all horses have the same grace as you do." With a smile, Itachi looked at Naruto. "I can see why you wouldn't want to take this one to a competition. Everyone would be spellbound by how beautiful he is."

Naruto grinned at the words, knowing that Kyuubi would understand the words as well. He swore the horse understood english. As if on cue, Kyuubi tossed his head up and pranced again, knowing that someone other than Naruto was commenting on him.

"Come on silly boy," Naruto said, patting his neck. "You can show off to Itachi out in the fields. You do your best work there, not when you're standing in a stall."

He led the horse out and went to work on grooming the red coat. "Since Kyuubi's a cutting horse, he has the skills that I need to cut or separate a single cow from the herd so I can get the cow inside a pen. We need to cut about six calf's today and get them into a separate pen so I can look over them." Naruto explained to Itachi as he ran a brush over the coat.

Itachi nodded, not really knowing how the calves would be separated. He supposed it was a bit like a sheepdog or something, but he'd never seen it with a horse in real life. He's seen plenty displays on the television or internet, but it was different in real life.

He picked up a brush, approaching Kyuubi slowly. The horse turned his head to Itachi, curious as to what the new human was doing. Itachi ran the brush across the horse's shoulder and drew a satisfied snort from Kyuubi.

"Looks like I'm acceptable," Itachi commented, peering over the chestnut back to meet Naruto's gaze.

A loud whinny came from the stall a little way down and the Uchiha recognised Susanoo in full jealous glory. Itachi smiled with a shake of his head, "I best go see the jealous creature. Could I possibly bring her over, to groom her at the same time?"

"Sure, that'd be fine. I'm sure she's itching to stretch out a bit. She can come with us so she'll get used to the cattle." Naruto smiled as he reached down to pick out Kyuubi's feet. "I think she'll enjoy the new smells."

Naruto muttered softly to Kyuubi as he worked on the rest of his hooves and when he straightened back up, Susanoo was walking towards them. Naruto snorted with laughter, once again realizing that his horse was tiny compared to Susanoo.

"Sorry bud, I think she's got you beat on height." Naruto said, patting Kyuubi's shoulder. The chestnut flared his nostrils as Susanoo approached, ears flickering back and forth at the new horse.

Itachi held Susanoo back. She didn't quite understand personal boundaries and assumed everyone wanted to be friends. She easily towered over Naruto's horse and he could easily feel threatened. As it was, Susanoo stretched her neck out, snuffling near Kyuubi's muzzle.

"Oh you just had to didn't you," Itachi said, wincing in preparation for the squeal that escaped the horses. The squeal came and Susanoo backed up, ear forward now.

"Sorry," Itachi said, slapping Susanoo lightly. "Don't do that," he chided gently and the grey snorted in apology, tilting her head to Kyuubi slowly.

He seemed to accept this as an apology and turned away from the thoroughbred. They both continued to groom the horses, talking both to each other and to the equines.

When both horses were ready, Naruto led the way out to the fields. Bellowing herds of cattle moved across the grass, some of the younger ones trotting around the herd and playing with each other.

Naruto's eyes scanned over them, looking for the ones that he needed. One of the students only showed black calf's, saying that they were lucky. Two would need to be cut today, although no doubt, the student would ask to see a few more.

They walked a bit more before trotting to the fence line where Naruto pulled Kyuubi up and turned towards Itachi. "I'd rather y'all stay out here, just in case something spooks them. I don't want either of y'all hurt."

Itachi nodded quickly, "To tell you the truth I prefer my chances out here than in there." Itachi looked at the herd of cattle, noticing the bull's long horns. "I may walk around a little, but definitely stay on this side of the fence."

Itachi watched as Naruto entered the field, calmly turning Kyuubi and closing it after him. Susanoo whickered as her friend left, wondering why she couldn't go too. "It's alright 'Noo, we'll catch up with them later. Now we get to see Naruto doing his Western. Only fair."

It was more than fair to Itachi as he'd been hoping to see this for a while now. Naruto would have to separate the herd and single out a calf, drawing it away from the herd and to wherever he wanted it. It seemed a little mean, but it was the safest way to get one away from the herd.

Checking to make sure that the lasso was secured on the saddle, Naruto guided Kyuubi into the herd of cattle. They parted as the horse and rider moved through the thick parts, bellowing their displeasure at him.

Naruto picked out the black calf that he wanted and Kyuubi turned around, leading a couple away. The calf trotted away from the others and paused as they were let back into the herd. For a moment, it stared at Kyuubi, trying to decide the best way to get back to the herd.

Naruto's hands lowered, resting on Kyuubi's neck. He wouldn't do a thing while Kyuubi worked, this was the chestnuts times. The section of field where the calf's need to go wasn't far away, otherwise Sasuke would be out helping them.

Kyuubi's neck stretched out, waiting for the calf to move. With a snort, the black calf darted off to the right. Kyuubi bolted after him, cutting him off before pivoting on his back leg as the calf tried to move left.

His front legs spread wide, Kyuubi lowered his head, snaking it towards the calf. An annoyed cry left the calf as it trotted away from Kyuubi and into the direction of the field. Kyuubi jogged after it, pausing to cut the animal one last time to the right before it went into the gate.

Naruto patted Kyuubi's neck and guided him back into the herd. They had all bunched up into the corner, making it easier to pick out his next calf. A brown colored calf was his next pick and Kyuubi urged it away from the rest.

The brown calf was more determined to make it back than the black, and immediately ran to the left. When it was cut off, it spun around to the other side in hopes of beating Kyuubi. Kyuubi lowered his head and jumped to the side, keeping the calf from going anywhere. Back and forth they snaked, Kyuubi slowly pushing the calf back until it was inside the fence.

Itachi watched the skills on display from the side. He could see the tremendous skill Kyuubi was displaying, and the very slight, small movements Naruto made to help guide the horse, keeping him grounded and level. It was an amazing display of agility and muscular strength as an animal of this size made tiny steps, darting to block the calf off.

Susanoo walked lazily up and down the fence line, occasionally looking over to the cattle. The smaller, stockier, build of the horses used in Western riding were much more suited to this type of work. Susanoo may be able to go faster and higher, but she would struggle for these movements. And by struggle, he meant almost incapable. If not for her dressage training she wouldn't even come close to something like this. It must have taken Naruto years to train Kyuubi.

Sweat had started to form on Kyuubi's coat as they wondered through the herd. One more calf was needed and then they'd be done. Naruto hated working in middle of the afternoon, choosing to do most of his work in the early morning or late evening during the summer months. But it couldn't be helped at times.

A white calf caught his attention and Kyuubi cut it away. The calf glared at him and backed up, putting more distance between itself and the horse. It trotted back and forth, trying to decide what to do while Kyuubi tracked its movements.

After a while of doing nothing, Kyuubi finally lunged forward, tired of the game the calf was playing. The calf darted to the side and Kyuubi chased it right, before spinning around to the left when it changed direction quickly. Grass tore underneath Kyuubi's hooves from the quick movements and Naruto felt his horse sink lower to the ground.

Left, left, right and then the calf stood still once more. It seemed to be thinking of another way out but Kyuubi was having none of it. His front legs lifted, one at a time barely skimming across the grass and making it look as though he was skittish for moving so quickly. But it was a move that cutting horses used, predicting the calf's movement before even the calf knew where it wanted to go.

The calf darted right and Kyuubi jumped after it without missing a beat. He lunged froward, pushing the animal back further until it trotted into the gate with an annoyed noise.

Naruto smiled and ran a hand over Kyuubi's sweaty neck. He was proud of his horse, knowing that it wasn't easy working the cattle alone like he had done. But Kyuubi had once again proved how strong he was and Naruto couldn't ask for a better horse.

"Let's get you cooled off," Naruto murmured as they walked down the fence line. Kyuubi snorted at the animals as Naruto closed off the gate, glad that the calf's stayed near the back corner of the field instead of trying to escape.

They trotted over to Itachi and Susanoo and exited the fields. Naruto lifted off his hat and ran his shirt over his face, wiping away the sweat and dirt. "How was that?" he asked as he set the hat back on his head.

Itachi bobbed his head slowly. "Well... it's pretty amazing actually." And it was. "I mean... I've seen it a few times and it was nothing special." He snorted, "Looked pretty easy actually." From the look Naruto threw him, Itachi knew that wasn't the best thing to say.

"I know. Silly really, but you just assume you can don't you? What I saw was... different to any Western riding you just see on TV or something. And you," Itachi turned his attention to Kyuubi, "Have a beautiful form." Susanoo whickered in agreement.

Kyuubi bobbed his head at the praise and Naruto ran a loving hand over his neck. "He deserves all the praise, he's the one doing all the work. I just sit back at times and let him work."

They moved back to the barn where shade was a welcome relief and even Kyuubi sighed happily. Naruto was itching to get in the shower before dinner and he knew that Kyuubi would want to go outside in the pond after this. And then probably roll around in the dirt and get muddy.

Itachi untacked Susanoo and followed Naruto back to the house, pausing briefly to say goodbye to Kyuubi.

"So why did those calves need to be separated anyway? You mentioned something about students." Itachi didn't want to pry, but back home it was odd to have students just come to the yard. Not that they didn't allow people, but stables were more private, especially stud farms owned by the Uchihas.

"We have 4-H clubs and FFA students who raise animals during the school year. They show them at the county shows and sometimes the rodeo. You can choose to raise hogs, goats, lambs, poultry, or cows." Naruto wiped some dirt away from his neck and brushed it against his chaps. "Those who want to show a calf come buy them from me, or someone else if I don't have what they're looking for."

They reached the front porch and Naruto pulled his boots off, along with his chaps. Sasuke would string him up if he tracked in all the dirt. He paused to pull Itachi's hat off and grinned at the other male.

Itachi smirked. "I'll claim that later on," he whispered in Naruto's ear as he brushed past, feet padding on the ground. He entered into the kitchen, making a line to the kettle and getting ready for cup no. 2 of the day.

"So, Itachi," Deidara said, twisting in the chair he had apparently been in the whole time and smiling widely. They were the only ones in the kitchen and Itachi knew what Deidara was about to say wouldn't be good.

"Finally want to take my up on my offer then?" Deidara's voice was jolly. Too jolly.

"No. I told you before, and butt out." Naruto could come in at any moment and Deidara was back on his 'toys' campaign.

"Funny you should use the term 'butt' as I have-"

"Deidara!" Itachi hissed, noticing Naruto about to enter.

The screen door slammed shut behind Naruto and he cringed as Sasuke shouted at him from the second floor. He shut the other door softly and twisted the lock before walking into the kitchen.

His bottom was just about to touch the seat cushion when a book collided with the back of his head. Naruto shot away from the chair and stomped out of the room, grumbling profanities at Sasuke. Crossing his arms against his chest, he stood in the hallway outside of the kitchen and glared at the younger Uchiha. "Better?"

"Much. You should go shower if you want to sit down." Sasuke paused. "And that AG teacher called. He'll be here about five-thirty tomorrow."

Naruto nodded and waved the comment aside. A shower sounded good right now, he felt nasty.

Itachi nodded curtly to Sasuke as his brother entered, sitting opposite to Deidara and near Itachi. A silent path of communication passed between the siblings and Itachi pushed his mug of tea over slightly, Sasuke taking a sip.

"So, little lightning boy," Deidara said, elbows resting on the table. Itachi noticed a western riding magazine on the table, a clue to what Deidara had been doing while they were gone. "I was thinking about teams. You said you may be able to get your friend in on it, and if she's in then there's six people on each side."

Itachi's eyes darted between the other at the table. Deidara really was committed to this.

"I was thinking... We need to divide it fairly. That is to say... We can't have all you Westerners on one side. Though Itachi and me can probably balance out the Western side... which means we'll trade Kisame for someone." Itachi rolled his eyes. poor Kisame. "And I want to be against you... so..."

Deidara paused for a moment. "Right, Naruto, Sasuke and Kisame on one team and me, Itachi and whoever it is on the other team."

"Sakura," Sasuke answered and pushed the mug back to Itachi. "Of course, I'm sure you've seen Kyuubi in action. He'll enjoy this game."

Sasuke smirked as he stood up to grab some cherry tomatoes from a bowl in the fridge. They were fresh picked from the garden and he popped one in his mouth. It would be fun to have Itachi and Naruto compete against each other, and even better to ride against Itachi himself.

He'd ride his cutting horse even though Chidori was still learning. The young horse wasn't as fast as Kyuubi, but it would be good practice for her. Either way, this little game would turn out fun. He could only imagine how either Naruto or Itachi would act at seeing the other drenched in water.

And speaking of the devil. Feet slapped against the wooden floor as Naruto made his way down the steps. Sasuke snorted with laughter and turned away for a brief moment as the blond dropped into a chair wearing nothing but boxers.

"Hot," he whined, fanning himself with his hand before snatching the magazine off the table.

"Hot showers during the summer still isn't a good idea," Sasuke said and ate another tomato.

Naruto stuck his tongue out and kept fanning himself. "Ugh."

Itachi attempted to keep his eyes away from Naruto, but it was very hard. Despite knowing that everyone (namely Sasuke and Deidara) was smirking knowingly, Itachi risked a full peek, shamelessly checking out Naruto.

"We're talking teams!" Deidara spared any awkwardness by drawing the conversation back to their plans for tomorrow. "Naruto you're with Sasuke and Kisame."

As Naruto nodded, Itachi looked around. "Where is Kisame anyway?"

Deidara shrugged. "He said something about a pond or a pool... I can't remember." The blond waved the thought off. "Do we need to go and pick up some water pistols? We could get some really big ones, the ones that can shoot for metres away. That way it's not crowded like a polo pitch and much more fun."

Itachi jumped as Deidara stood up, slamming his hands on the table.

"Itachi, remember for your birthday we went to that club and that guy gave you that drink and then we went to the other club and you-"

Itachi cut him off with a glare. "Get to the point Deidara," he said, not wanting anyone to know how embarrassing that evening had been. There may have been one too many colourful drinks and a taxi ride that ended in him throwing up all over Kisame.

"Well, remember there was that one club that had all that spray stuff that just seemed like water?" Itachi did. That was where the night had started to go downhill. The 'stuff' as Deidara put it was like glow in the dark paint, but it had been added to water balloons and guns in the club to spray everyone with.

"Well," Deidara continued. "We could put that in with the water in our guns and that way we know which team score the most! Like paint-balling, but glow in the dark and less painful."

Naruto's eyebrow rose slightly at Deidara and he glanced at Itachi briefly before slumping back against the table. Tomorrow seemed far off and this game seemed even farther away; his mind refusing to focus on anything other than today.

Still, he nodded. No doubt he'd need to be reminded again when the time came but that was besides the point. "We have some water guns in the garage from Sakura's graduation party," Naruto spoke up. "She has a pool." He answered when everyone turned to him, as though the explanation of a pool would make everything clear.

He sat up and drummed his fingers against the surface of the table. Tomorrow he wouldn't be able to leave the ranch, too much work, but the day after that would be a good day to relax. Maybe that night convince Itachi to come down to the pond for some midnight swimming.

He groaned at the thoughts, drawing several curious looks in his direction. "Hungry." He stated and turned to Sasuke. "Make some dinner, oh Mr. 'I can cook better than you, even though the last time I tried it blew up in my face.'"

Silence reined in the kitchen before Naruto bolted out of the chair, followed closely by a fuming Sasuke.

"Ah, just like old times," Deidara said, sinking into his chair and putting his feet on Itachi's lap. Itachi grunted, pushing his friend off and downing the last of his tea.

"I'm going to go look for Kisame," Itachi muttered, leaving Deidara alone and heading to the door. He opened it just as someone raised a hand to knock.

The newcomer had long hair, like his, but was tied more loosely and further down, impractical if you asked Itachi. Instantly the Uchiha didn't like this man. Whoever he was, he seemed a little shady.

"Um, is Naruto here?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. He was about to simply stare the man down when Naruto came skidding to a halt, out of breath and looking behind him. He was still clad in boxers only, apparently not having seen their guest either.

"Damn he's fast, when did he get so fast?" Naruto gasped. He turned around to look down the hall and then bent over, his hands on his knees. A clearing of someone's throat made him spin around and blue eyes widened.

"Neji?" He asked and padded to the door, still throwing cautious looks over his shoulder. "Sasuke said you weren't coming until tomorrow."

"I just needed to borrow some calf milk. The tack store is closed and I'm all out." Neji answered, running pale lavender eyes over Naruto's body.

Naruto nodded and waved him inside. "Sure. I've got some mix in here somewhere." He laughed. "Usually you need sugar for your hummingbird mix, it feels odd giving you something else."

Neji smiled softly as Naruto vanished into the pantry. "That's cause I know you have sugar to spare, you're sweet enough as is."

Itachi's lip curled in disgust. Really? That sentence had just been said? Shuddering, Itachi sized up his opponent. There was something wrong with this 'Neji' and it wasn't just his hair. Honestly, who the hell said lines like that?

"Creep," Itachi said under his breath, drawing Neji's attention.

"Sorry?" He asked and Itachi feigned a cough.

"Sorry, allergies. All this... dust." Itachi faked a smile, inside ranting about the man in front of him, coming to steal Naruto's virtue.

It was clear Neji didn't believe him about his 'allergies' but Itachi couldn't bring himself to care. Where was Neji when he'd been riding bareback with Naruto? Where was Neji when he'd been kissing Naruto senseless (and being kissed senseless really)? Not on the radar that was for sure.

Itachi couldn't let his defences down though. One false move and this horrible person would be in there, twisting Naruto against him. He'd have to draw on all the courage of his nation, the former empire, to defeat this foe, but he would do it for Naruto.

"My patron animal's a lion. Remember that," he said, moving his eyebrows up once, suggestively threatening.

Neji sized Itachi up, looking him up and down. The man wasn't from Texas, let alone the States. The British accent was clear to him and grated on his nerves. He scoffed. "Well mines an eagle, and unlike your lion, ours doesn't drink tea."

"Found it!" Naruto called out and backed out of the room. He scratched the back of his neck when he realized the two males were glaring at each other. "Oh man, that was rude of me. Itachi, this is Neji. He teaches at the high school in the agriculture classes and runs the schools FFA program. And Neji, this is Itachi. He just competed for Great Britain at the FEI games in eventing."

Neji nodded. "You must be an excellent horseman. How is it that an English rider such as yourself caught Naruto's attention. You two don't even ride in the same saddle, let alone event."

Itachi narrowed his eyes. He didn't like this man. Not at all. If he hadn't met Naruto first, his opinion of Americans would have gone from neutral to hatred.

"Well perhaps people who are closed minded to other styles of riding should work out that particular kink. There's no point in playing 'this is better than that' unless you have some issues of feeling inferior to address."

Riding hadn't dulled the natural Uchiha genes. They were a cut-throat family when needed, going for the kill if it was something they wanted. And Itachi wouldn't let Neji take away Naruto.

Neji held up his hand. "I was merely asking a question; I apologize if you seemed to take it another way." Outside, he looked calm and polite but inside he was fuming. How dare this man try to cut him down. "As a teacher, I encourage my students who raise horses to train either discipline. I have no preference to a style of riding."

There, he would keep himself sounding polite, compared to this seeming rude Britain who was staying at the ranch. He'd get his revenge sooner or later; Itachi couldn't stay in Texas forever. He'd have to go home eventually.

"Teaching must be nice. I've never had the thought to teach, but it must be wonderful seeing all of them ride. Even so, you must have some inclination towards Western riding, considering where we are." Itachi smiled, honestly pleased about the teaching... if it was someone else telling him this.

"Is teaching all you do? It must be nice having a job specific to the school year. I suppose you get a nice, long holiday that lets you work with the horses only."

"Well, I handle students that raise more than just horses. Some of my students will choose to raise a cow from Naruto's ranch or another animal so I watch them all grow and give advice when needed. It makes my job very fulfilling, seeing one of my students walk away with a Grand Champion at a show."

He leaned against the wall and looked towards Naruto who was looked slightly uncomfortable. "Of course, showing animals isn't all that my students do. They compete in leadership contests during the fall and judging in the spring. Some of them will work with me during the summer to start planning a script that's ready when school starts."

Neji looked back to Itachi. "However, it is a pain at times. There's a lot of traveling and you have to deal with teenagers and their hormones of course. Both Naruto and I were in the same FFA chapter in high school, we were on the dairy products judging team that won Nationals my senior year." He smirked, wanting to drive his next point close to home. "Of course, sharing crowded hotel rooms is never fun; you usually have to share beds with someone."

Itachi ground the backs of his teeth, trying not to rise to the obvious bait. "Of course you do. And such an inconvenience when travelling far away. I understand what travelling for things is like, competing at an international level can be tiring sometimes." Itachi could see that Neji was someone who placed a lot of belief in money, or rather that it meant more than most things. He could tell this by the man's stature, the way he held himself and the slightly-smart clothing he wore. They had been made finely, even though they were simple clothes.

"I find it does help when you have money to cushion the journey, particularly if your sponsor is the largest exportation stud in England and one of the most highly respected in Europe." Itachi didn't believe that money made things better, but he had to admit competing around the world would have been difficult if not for Madara.

Neji bristled. He honestly didn't know as much about horse breeding as Naruto did, but to have such a sponsor with that much influence was something he couldn't top. His family was only known for their showing and judging skills. Winning prize money and awards at almost all the shows they went too. Companies would sponsor them, but not large ones such as the one that backed Itachi.

"Oh!" Naruto's sudden exclamation made both Itachi and Neji turn to him. "That reminds me. Itachi, I need to thank your sponsor for letting me stay with you."

Itachi turned to Naruto with a smile. "You already have. I mean we had the room next to mine spare anyway, because of the shared bathroom," he shot Neji a quick look, "But if you'd really like to thank my sponsor then you can just thank me."

Itachi didn't like to push around the fact that he could be his own sponsor, but sometimes it did come in handy. "It's true Madara is the owner of the company, but I'm second in the chain if you like. My father wanted nothing to do with the business so I took his place."

Itachi took a moment to glow in the look on Neji's face, hiding it from his face. He really did hate throwing his name around, but if Neji wasn't put off now then he'd be sniffing around in hopes of something happening. Better to be crueler now.

Neji cleared his throat. "I'm sorry to interrupt Naruto, but I should get going. My student will be needing the milk before it gets too dark."

Frowning, Naruto passed the bottle and powder to Neji. "You don't need me to prep it or anything do you? It's a new brand that Sasuke said he liked."

Pale eyes focused on Naruto and he waved the comment aside. "I'll be fine, I've dealt with several different brands before and this one is familiar to me." He nodded his head slightly. "It was nice seeing you again Naruto, give my regards to Sasuke."

He glared at Itachi as he walked away and paused next to him for a brief second as he turned around. "Five-thirty tomorrow, correct?" He smiled a bit as Naruto confirmed the time and turned back to Itachi. "By the way, I still have the pictures from when we traveled together. He stayed in my bed you know."

Smirking, he padded out of the house. He jumped slightly to the side when Lulu bleated at him on the porch and stalked away, muttering about the crazy goat.

  
**.**  


Itachi watched Neji go with a little cheer. He'd have to feel around from Sasuke what this Neji character was like and plan a few stages against him, depending on how Neji would act next. As silly as it sounded, this really was all out warfare. Not only had Neji tried to hit on Naruto, but he'd insulted tea. Yeah, Itachi hadn't missed that.

Itachi decided he'd have to get Lulu on his side as well as she could be a very worthy comrade. And Axel may help too. He needed all hands on deck to protect Naruto from the grabby hands of Neji.

"So, how did you two meet?" Itachi asked casually, trying to feel for more information.

Naruto drifted into the living room and dropped down on the leather couch. He was cold now, the AC in the house finally settling on his skin. He patted the area next to him and leaned against Itachi once the Uchiha sat down.

"Well, we went to the same high school. I had joined an intro to agriculture class, since it was required for the vet class that I wanted to take. My teacher got me into my first team and he was on it. Neji convinced me to join dairy products in the spring and helped me."

Naruto laughed. "There's two hundred and fifty questions that you have to memorize on that test, and they only ask fifty. He drilled those questions into me; you weren't allowed to miss one cause they took away so much from your score."

Itachi could imagine how many nights the pair would have spent together and noticed the slight fondness in Naruto's voice. Naruto obviously cared for Neji - even though it seemed to just be a friendship-care - and Itachi felt somewhat bad for being up himself to Neji.

And then Neji's face came into his brain and he took that back. Sometimes it couldn't be helped. A prick's always going to be a prick.

"It's nice you've had someone willing to help you in that way," he commented instead, slinging an arm around Naruto's shoulders and pulling him in.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Although we didn't like each other when we first met. As a freshman, I was an underclass to him and upperclassman think they can push them around. I threw a rotten egg at him one day and we made our peace after that."

He snuggled into Itachi's embrace, feeling the warmth roll off him. With a grin, he rolled around in Itachi's grip and straddled his hips. "But now that he's gone, I can thank the sponsor that so graciously let me stay for a few extra days in Kentucky."

The grin that had been on Itachi's face from hearing Naruto threw a rotten egg at Neji morphed into one of intrigue. "Oh? And how exactly do you plan on thanking him?"

Itachi moved his hand round to Naruto's back, smoothing across the skin there and meeting Naruto's heated gaze. "You do know that they may be in slight trouble. I mean... it is a rather large bill you owe and there is a lot to pay off. Though," Itachi paused, smirking and snaking his hand a little lower, teasing the material of Naruto's boxers. "I'm sure we can come up with an alternative way to pay the debt hmm?"

Naruto hummed. "I like that idea," he muttered. His hands slipped underneath Itachi's shirt and his fingers ghosted over the skin, drawing goosebumps. "Shall I start now? Give my first down payment and do that pay as you go thing?"

He smirked and leaned down, kissing Itachi's neck. His lips trailed down the pale column, licking and nipping at the skin while his fingers moved up Itachi's chest. They paused at hard nipples and rolled them between his fingers, catching Itachi's lip with his teeth.

Itachi gasped under Naruto's hands, leaning back into the leather couch. His hands drifted up Naruto's back slightly, pulling the blond closer. One hand moved into Naruto's hair, pulling him away from his lips a moment. Naruto was flushed and Itachi smirked, re-capturing Naruto's lips in a deep kiss, pushing upwards with his body slightly.

"Ahh," Itachi groaned, his breathing already heavy and shallow. Naruto was a devil with those hands as they drifted across his skin, torturous and beautiful at the same time in their ministrations.

Letting his hands trail down, Naruto dragged his fingers over the skin. They barely touched the pale skin and he felt Itachi shiver underneath him. A groan left his mouth as Itachi teased him in his own ways.

Those pale fingers played with the trail of hair that swirled up to his navel, tracing it lower past the elastic of his boxers. His hips bucked of their own accord and his eyes rolled back as Itachi continued to tease him more.

Their angle was slightly awkward so Itachi pushed his hips up a little, settling Naruto slightly more central in his lap. It gave Itachi perfect access to the blonde's erection, pressing against his boxers, and dark eyes watched Naruto's face as a hand stroked the fabric, teasing Naruto endlessly.

Itachi smirked as Naruto hissed, joining him a moment later when the blond moved his hips down, opening an eye slightly and peering at Itachi with a smile. It was a clear 'two can play this game' and Itachi's stomach jolted, pleasure shooting all over his body.

Naruto's fingers teased the hem of Itachi's jeans before trailing down and rubbing against the bulge in the fabric. His other hand started to sneak inside Itachi's pants when a thumping noise sounded down the steps and into the living room.

"Hey Naruto, I'm ordering some pizza for dinner, what-" Sasuke paused and both Naruto's and Itachi's head shot up. "I'm going to turn around now and pretend that I didn't just see what I thought I saw. When I come back, you two better be watching TV or something."

Itachi groaned in embarrassment as Naruto slid off of him, grabbing a nearby cushion and placing it on his lap. Even if they wanted to now, the image of Sasuke walking in when they were more heated was a rather... unsavoury one.

"I'm going to go get some tea," Itachi muttered, standing stiffly and walking to the kitchen, slightly uncomfortably. Deidara was standing by the kettle, eyebrow raised. Before he could say anything (that was probably a pun on not knowing Itachi was an exhibitionist or something), Itachi focused his glare on the blond. "Don't. Just don't."

Returning to Naruto with a nice cup of tea, Itachi settled next to his blond, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, as seemed to be the norm now, and snuggling slightly.

Naruto smiled and eased the cup of tea away from Itachi. He wanted to try one that Itachi had made and compare it to what he'd had at the diner. It was still too hot for him but it did taste a bit better.

He handed the cup back and clicked the TV, as Sasuke walked back into the living room. It seemed as though the younger Uchiha was content at the scene.

"What toppings?" he asked.

"Cheese and get some breadsticks." Naruto said, watching the TV and not looking at Sasuke quite yet. His face was still hot and he was pretty sure that his cheeks were red.

"Got it," Sasuke said and turned to Itachi. "What do you want Itachi?"

Itachi considered the question. "Do you have any rich teas?"

Sasuke shook his head and Itachi frowned. He knew it was far-fetched to ask for the English biscuit, yet they did go so well with tea. "Breadsticks will be fine then for me too."

Sasuke walked off and Itachi smiled. "Thank you for looking after him," he whispered in Naruto's ear, kissing his temple.

Naruto purred at the simple touch and leaned into Itachi more. "It wasn't a problem," he murmured. "I'm thinking that tomorrow night, we can go to the pond and just relax."

He wasn't happy that tomorrow his day would be so busy that he wouldn't be able to spend much time with Itachi. They'd have to brand calf's which would take most of the day and more than likely, by the time that was done, Neji would be over with his students.

The thought almost made him pout. He wanted to make good on that idea of lounging around with Itachi in nothing but boxers for the day and then spend a night looking up at the stars.

"I'll go with Deidara and Kisame into town tomorrow so Deidara can satisfy his glowing-paint urges. If it's there, he'll find it. We can pick up stuff for you as well if you make us a list." Itachi wanted desperately to just laze around all day with Naruto, but it wasn't an option just yet. There was so much to do and he'd already delayed Naruto by a few days by asking him to stay. It was only fair he let him have a bit of time to work.

"I'd also like to take Susanoo out on a ride, are we allowed to go pretty much everywhere? Obviously not in livestock fields, but she hasn't done a natural cross country in a while and it might be quite nice."

And then, once they came back, Naruto would be free and Itachi could whisk him away. He'd check with Sasuke how busy they were going to be tomorrow and then maybe, if he could, prepare a picnic and take the horses out for an evening meal-come-stargazing trip. Sappy, yes, but Itachi didn't care.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, you're free to roam about the property. And it'll give you something to do tomorrow. I'm afraid that I won't get a lot of free time tomorrow, I'm sorry. But the next day won't be as busy, and we can spend some time together."

He sighed and leaned his head against Itachi's shoulder. Dinner was coming soon and he couldn't wait for it. His stomach growled for food and then after dinner with more cuddling.

They stayed like that for a while, Itachi taking small sips of his tea from time to time. They could both smell dinner cooking and Itachi wondered what Sasuke was making. It did smell nice and he suddenly realised he was very hungry.

Eventually they were called to dinner and everyone sat round the table, Kisame included. There was a look on Kisame's face that said he wanted to talk to Itachi, but the Uchiha knew that look as one that was a private talk. Whatever Kisame had been doing, it was important to discuss and he nodded, signalling that they'd talk after dinner.

Drooling at the pizza and pasta that lay out on the table, Naruto happily pulled some slices off and piled up his plate. Sasuke had made a good tomato sauce and Naruto was glad that Sasuke had decided to make his own instead of order out.

Dinner was light and relaxed, no one mentioning anything that would cause debate or arguments. It was nice, and Naruto sipped happily at his water glass. This was what he liked, being surrounded by friends and not having anything to worry about.

The conversation dwindled into comfortable silence as they all finished their dinner, sitting back in their chairs and relaxing. Itachi stretched out his legs, bumping into someone. "Sorry," he apologised, looking around for whoever he had hit. Naruto's grin answered everything.

They began to move to the lounge when Itachi looked to Kisame. He smiled to Naruto before stepping out into the hallway, following his friend.

"What is it?" Itachi asked gently, keeping his voice down.

"First of all, Madara's left a few messages asking why we cancelled our plane journey." Itachi sighed, nothing good could ever last, "And secondly... the land linking to Naruto's is for sale. The man who owned it inherited it from his late father and has no wish to keep it."

Itachi glanced at Kisame, unsure of the information's use. "And..?"

Kisame grinned, "And it's well within our budgets. You know you can get something amazing here for a pinch of the price it would be back home. It wouldn't be so bad if you could expand Uchiha studs to America too. Madara has full control of Europe and he's always been moaning about wanting to tackle the big markets here. Thoroughbreds are in demand here too."

The business side to Itachi woke then and he knew what Kisame was suggesting was a good idea. It was true - Madara had been moaning about a few notable stud farms in America who catered solely for American racing leagues. Customers who had come to Uchiha who were American had praised the horses yet said they were hard to access, being stationed in Europe.

And there was a plot of land right next to Naruto.

With a quick grasp to Kisame's arm in thanks, they both rejoined the group in the lounge. Itachi had a lot to think about now and perhaps an olive branch to offer his uncle.

Naruto glanced up at Itachi once the Uchiha was settled into the couch. His dark eyes gleamed with something that Naruto couldn't place. He pushed the thought aside and leaned against Itachi, enjoying the warmth. Sasuke had sent him upstairs to get dressed before dinner so he was a little more decent despite Naruto's complaining that no one really cared.

He focused back on the movie that they were watching, purring slightly when Itachi played with the little hairs on the back of his neck. He let his head rest against Itachi's chest, listening to the movie with one ear and the Uchiha's heartbeat with another. It lulled him into an easy feeling and he could feel his eyes starting to droop.

"Tired," he muttered softly to Itachi. He didn't want to go to sleep yet, it felt too early. But the long hours of driving and working the cattle was quickly catching up with him.

"Come on then you," Itachi said, shifting Naruto slightly. He'd had the fortune of sleeping earlier but Naruto hadn't. He stood up and scooped Naruto in his arms, wincing at the weight. "Let's get you to bed."

Struggling slightly, Itachi managed to right himself and smiled back at Naruto. "You even get a ride to bed," he whispered, winking cheesily.

They bid everyone else a goodnight before Itachi struggled upstairs, eventually collapsing on Naruto's bed, half-lying on the blond.

Laughing at Itachi's attempt, Naruto pulled him closer. "You don't have to stay up here," he murmured. He didn't want to keep Itachi upstairs if he was still awake and wanted to watch the movie. Not to mention, it was a way to spend time with his brother and teammates. They probably had a lot to catch up on.

With a yawn, he sat up on the bed and padded into the bathroom. He pulled his shirt off and tossed it onto a hook. It wasn't dirty and he could wear again tomorrow. Why dirty clothes that had only been worn inside for a few hours.

Now that Naruto had mentioned bed, Itachi was tired too. While Naruto was in the bathroom he slipped into a pair of sleeping shorts, keeping a top off as he noticed the heat. He waited hesitantly at the edge of the bed, unsure whether he should just get in or ask for Naruto's permission.

After brushing his teeth, Naruto shuffled into the bedroom and smiled at Itachi. "You can get in 'Tachi." He chuckled slightly. "You slept naked already in my bed, you can get in without asking, I won't be bothered."

Covering up a yawn, he dropped onto the bed next to Itachi. "But thanks for being considerate about it." Pressing a quick kiss to Itachi's neck, Naruto leaned over to turn the floor fan on and then ducked under the covers.

Itachi sighed deeply and smiled, seeking out Naruto in the bed. The fan cooled the room and allowed Itachi to comfortably draw Naruto into his arms.

"Good night, Naruto," he whispered in the darkness, the light being turned off just as they got into bed. "See you in the morning."

  
**.**  


When the alarm went off in the morning, Naruto scrambled for it, almost falling off in the bed process. It was finally shut off and he glanced at Itachi's sleeping body, glad that the other male was still asleep.

Rubbing at his eyes, Naruto crawled out bed and made his way around the room. He knew it like the back of his hand and didn't need a light to get ready. It was still dark outside and casting one last glance to make sure Itachi was still asleep, Naruto slipped out of the room.

He met up with Sasuke and they made their way to the barn. Horses needed to be fed and the cattle had to be looked over. The newest part of the herd needed to be branded and it would be easier to start now while it was still cool out.

It'd take most of the morning to get them separated and then a while to brand them. Not to mention, they'd be working near an open flame to do the branding and it was hot enough without the flames.

"You get the left and I'll get the right?" Naruto asked Sasuke.

"Yeah. We'll check the herd while they eat. By the time we finish, they'll be ready to work and we can let the others run around in the fields today. No need to keep them inside the stalls all day." Sasuke answered.

With a sigh, Naruto glanced to the sun the had just started to show on the horizon. It was going to be a long day.

Itachi woke up slowly, blinking away the sleepiness. The bed was slightly warm, but absent of Naruto and he guessed the blond had gone out to tend to the livestock. He stretched out, groaning as his neck clicked.

Naruto's dog yawned noisily as Itachi entered the kitchen, padding over to Itachi and sitting by him at the table. Itachi smiled and scratched Axel's neck, greeting him warmly. Over a bowl of cereal (that he had found in one of the cupboards), Itachi planned his day.

He was going to ride Susanoo in the morning before it got too hot and then go into town with Deidara and Kisame. In town he'd pick up more information about the plot of land next to Naruto's and talk to an estate agent. He'd need to get as much information about the land and prospective buyers before making a deal. After that, he'd phone Madara and present the case to him. Well, and expect a verbal lashing, but that was neither here nor there.

Itachi dressed in scruffy clothes, planning to shower and dress properly once Susanoo was eating. He exited the house and looked upwards to the sky, shaking his head at how hot it was already.

Setting the saddle on Kyuubi's back, Naruto tightened the cinch. Next to him, Sasuke was dealing with Chidori who didn't want to stand still. The young horse could sense that they were going out to work the herd and kept prancing around.

Naruto chuckled at the action as he moved to slip the bridle into Kyuubi's mouth. The ceiling fans above them helped to circulate the air around but didn't do anything for the hot summer air. Naruto grabbed a water bottle and swallowed a mouthful before leading Kyuubi away from the ties.

The stallion pinned his ears back at Chidori as they passed and nipped the young horse in the rump. She squealed, pranced a bit more and finally settled down. Sasuke shot Kyuubi and Naruto a look but quickly finished tacking her up.

Kyuubi whinnied as they left the barn and Naruto looked up, smiling when he saw Itachi walking towards them. He would've thought that Itachi would sleep in a bit more, but it was probably ingrained in him to get up early. Horses needed to be taken care of and they always came first.

"Good morning," he said. "How'd you sleep?"

"Wonderfully thank you," Itachi replied, letting Kyuubi sniff his hand. "Just come to feed her majesty and then get properly dressed. Is there anything I can get you from inside?"

Itachi wanted Naruto's day to progress as smoothly as possible so that they could spend more time together later. If he was able to help, Itachi would have, but he knew he'd cause more trouble than good if he offered help, so it was best to stay out of things, especially as this was Naruto's livelihood.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. There's some bottled drinks in the fridge and a cooler in the pantry. Can you fill the cooler up with them and just put some ice in it from the freezer?" he asked. Cold drinks would be nice in this heat and he'd forgotten to get some this morning.

He had planned on sending Sasuke to get some while he started working the herd but this would save a bit of time.

Itachi nodded, stroking Kyuubi. "I'll leave it in the barn here then." He took a step back and smiled, "I'll probably see you later then. I'm going to have a ride around and then go into town later so I may not see you for a while."

Laughing, Naruto swung into the saddle. "Have fun while you're in town. There's a bowling alley down the street from the store if you want to poke around a bit." He smiled and leaned down to give Itachi a quick kiss. "Thank you for helping with the water. Have a good ride."

Itachi regretfully parted from Naruto, watching him for a moment before heading inside. If Itachi believed in fairy tales and such, he'd admit he was head over heels. Actually, he had to admit it anyway.

Inside the barn, Itachi was greeted with Sasuke and was, presumably, his horse Chidori.

"Good morning," he greeted pleasantly, smiling at his brother. They hadn't been properly alone in a while and Itachi was happy to keep the slight distance between them.

"Morning," Sasuke answered and looped some rope around the horn of his saddle. "Susanoo is in the stall next to Wichita, close to the end. Naruto said it'd give her more views of the ranch than just a middle stall."

He glanced at Itachi over Chidori's back. "This is Chidori. Naruto helped me pick her out and I've been training her ever since." He patted her neck and was rewarded with a soft bump from her nose. "She's a good horse and I'm proud of her, even though she's trained Western and not English."

Itachi walked over to the horse, noticing her age. She was quite young and most likely still in training.

"Don't worry Sasuke. There's no need to be defensive with me." Itachi glanced up for a moment before looking down at Chidori's nose and rubbing her muzzle gently. "I don't care which riding style you prefer, it's your choice and you're happy. I happen to know, unlike some people, that a different style of riding is more favourable to some people, even if it's what they consider 'wrong'."

They shared a look, knowing exactly who these 'some people' were; Madara.

"And I must say, you've raised a fine young lady here." Itachi stepped away, heading to Susanoo. "Just spare a bit of love from time to time for 'Noo. She'd like that."

Feeling a bit better, Sasuke led Chidori out of the stable where Naruto was waiting for him. He mounted up and they walked out to the large field where the herd was grazing. It'd take a while to get them all to the other end where the holding pen was and more than likely, a few would try to escape on the way.

He grinned at Naruto as they started to jog. "So, you and Itachi go at it like rabbits yet?"

Naruto sputtered and shot him a glare. "Why would you even want to know something like that? Are you secretly a perv and all these years you never told me?"

Sasuke laughed. "Just curious. As Itachi's younger brother and your friend; I have to look out for both of you."

Waving a hand, Naruto brushed the comment aside. "I think you've just been waiting for something like this to happen so you have blackmail over me. Admit it!"

Dark eyes danced with amusement. "Now why would I do something like that? Its not like I don't have that picture of you, walking around with just chaps and cowboy hat on. Think Itachi would buy it from me?"

With another round of laughter, Sasuke urged Chidori into a lope and Naruto quickly chased after him. "You're a bastard!" He shouted.

Sasuke simply laughed as Chidori sped up, picking up on his good mood. He had never thought that he'd feel this carefree but slowly it was coming back. He glanced back at Naruto who was enjoying the chase as well.

Maybe Itachi was just what Naruto needed, and vice versa. And if only Itachi would stay, then everything could stay like this.

In the barn, Itachi prepared Susanoo's feed. He slung the bowl over her stable door, peering into her stable.

"Get up lazy," he said, looking at the form of his horse sprawled on the floor. Slowly, her head raised up and she snorted, flicking her ears back. They had this problem most mornings when Susanoo wasn't competing. She was as stubborn as a mule when waking up.

"Come on! We're going for a ride around the ranch today, a bit of free cross country perhaps. I'm also going to look at the land next door, have a look at it."

Susanoo slowly stood up, moving to her feed bowl and ignoring Itachi. He smiled, when he was back from his shower and getting ready, her breakfast would have gone down and she'd be good to ride.

As he made his way back to the house, Itachi fancied he could see two figures riding out on the flat landscape, but they were already too far away and he wasn't sure if they were horses or cattle.

Out in the fields, the cattle raised their heads as they entered the area. A few shifted away and Naruto laughed at their reaction. He glanced around and sighed. "Where's Axel?"

"Probably being lazy inside the house." Sasuke answered.

Rolling his eyes, Naruto pressed his tongue to his teeth and whistled loudly, the sound echoing across the fields. In the distance, a bark sounded and Naruto patted Kyuubi's neck. Axel often forgot what he was supposed to do and needed to be reminded every now and then.

Soon enough, the Koolie appeared next to them and panted happily. "Go on," Naruto said, pointing to the cattle. "Round 'em up."

With a bark, Axel trotted forward and started to circle around the herd. Naruto moved to the other side, jogging around and pushed the herd together. A few stray cattle were grazing away and Sasuke went after them. It would be a good way for Chidori to practice her cutting skills.

As he brought the stragglers in, Naruto drifted over to Sasuke. "I think we should just drive all of them over to the pen. Send all of them through the chute, brand the ones that need it and let the others go that don't. This way we can look over all them for an injuries."

Sasuke nodded. "Sounds good." He looked out to the field. "Three left. I'll start driving the herd in and you can bring the last three in. Chidori already brought in a few."

They separated without a word and Kyuubi perked his ears as they approached the remaining cattle. Naruto grinned as they raised their heads at them and bellowed, not wanting to move from their patch of grass.

"Sorry boys, but I don't think you have a choice." Kyuubi snorted and pawed the ground, making Naruto laugh as they settled into work once more.

Itachi exited the house a little while later, riding boots and jodphurs on. He wouldn't bother with a hat today, it was too hot. Plus by the looks of things, the scenery around was fairly flat and he'd once been in a competition to see who could jump the best, bareback, with no hands and blindfolded. Risky, yes, but he'd won it. The jumps had been in a straight line and pretty small, but still. It was all about trusting the horse.

"Let's get you tacked up then," Itachi said, looking around for some sort of tack room where either Sasuke or Deidara would have put his tack. He selected his general riding saddle and bridle, putting them on Susanoo and leading her out of the stable. There was a small mounting stool on the ground and Itachi climbed on it, using the extra height instead of heaving himself up. It got tiring after a while, especially with such a tall horse.

Kisame had mentioned the land was a few acres over and Itachi began with a walk, then a trot, schooling Susanoo even though they were riding pleasurably. Training was a constant thing and even one say off could cause the horse to slacken in control.

Eventually, Itachi pushed her up to a canter, the wind blowing through their hair and cooling him down in the sun. He was lucky Susanoo was grey, any darker colour and she wouldn't have been able to sustain the canter for as long as they had, not being used to the weather.

The land Itachi was looking at was separated by a thick fence. It was electrified, most likely to keep Naruto's livestock out, but he could see the main house easily. There were a number of barns and Itachi wondered if, at some point, it had been a stud farm. It certainly had the look of one.

Deciding that it would be close to twelve soon, Itachi and Susanoo made their way back, galloping through the fields and enjoying the ride. It was incredibly relaxing just to enjoy a free ride, which he admittedly found very little time for back home. He wondered if Naruto and Sasuke would be joining them for lunch or if they'd just wait until the task was done.

  
**.**  


Naruto looked up as a small dust trailed flew across one of the fields and he smiled when he realized that it was probably Itachi and Susanoo. Behind him, Axel was barking at the straggling cattle who tried to draw out entering the pen.

Once they were all inside, Axel slipped through the fence and kept to the edge as he circled around the pen. Sasuke whistled to the dog from his position next to the chute where he'd send the cattle through to Naruto.

The dog barked and made its way over, getting out of the way before Sasuke opened the gate. He made his way to a small platform where he could stand and watch the herd without getting trampled.

Further down the line, Naruto whistled, signalling that he was ready. Kyuubi stood further away from them, resting under a tree with Chidori. They wouldn't be needed right now, but should something go wrong and a calf escaped, they'd still need to be ready to chase.

He had decided to go with an electric branding iron so he wouldn't die by heat. Still, he pulled his shirt off to help cool off a bit. A few scratches wouldn't hurt but overheating sure would. Once they got going, Naruto would send Sasuke back to the barn to pick up the cooler.

A heifer bellowed at him as she clanged into the squeeze chute and Naruto pushed a bar behind the animals rump to keep her from backing out. She was one of the new ones and he smoothed the hide down and apologized before bringing up the iron.

When he pulled away, an 'N' and 'U' stared back at him, the U cutting through the N in a clean mark. Pleased with the brand, he opened the gate and let the heifer go. As soon as she left, another took its place, starting a seemingly endless trend.

Itachi could hear the sound of animals being branded as he led Susanoo back to the stables. The sound was familiar as they heat-branded their thoroughbreds with the mark of their family, a tradition that had been around for centuries. It was true a freeze-mark was less painful, but it had to be redone a lot. With a hot-iron brand, it was a single brand and they had the stud vet anaesthetise the area before applying the iron.

Susanoo turned to munch on her haynet, whickering at Wichita as she was turned in. Itachi left a moment later, crossing the path back to the house.

"There he is," Deidara greeted him, shoving a plate into his hands. "We're eating here so hurry up. We need to hit the shops and quickly!"

Itachi looked to Kisame, who was eating his own sandwich. "I know, but we'll just have to put up with it for a while."

They ate lunch in silence, exiting the house with enough money and bags in case they needed them.

"I'll go ask Naruto if we can use his truck," Deidara said, walking off and leaving Kisame and Itachi alone.

"I went to look at the property," Itachi began, walking over to the shade so the sun didn't wear them down before they even left the ranch.

"Yeah?" Kisame questioned.

"Mmm. It looks as if it was a stud at some point so wouldn't need too much fixing up. I was hoping you could distract Deidara while I go get some information about it. He wouldn't be able to keep it a secret and I don't want to get anyone's hopes up if it turns out an unlikely venture." Itachi had his business tone on, serious by the expanding of Uchiha. If he had to present this to Madara, then he had to make sure all loopholes were caught.

Naruto had just let out a steer when he noticed Deidara walking up to them. A calf banged around in the crush and Naruto secured the back end before looking up at Deidara.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Can we borrow your truck so we can go into town?" Deidara asked, looking at the calf who looked back at him. It stuck its tongue out and licked its nose and Deidara resisted the urge to stick out his tongue back.

"Sure. The keys are in the hallway in the glass bowl. Can you pick up a bottle of aloe too, I think we're gonna need a back up one tonight." Naruto glanced down at Sasuke who had pulled off his shirt too. The pale skin was already starting to look red despite the sun screen he'd put on.

"No problem." Deidara answered and jogged back.

Naruto smiled and turned his attention back to the calf. It yelled at him when the brand hit, and trotted out as soon as the coast was clear. Behind him, Axel barked at two cows who were trying to push through the chute at the same time.

He placed his paws on ones back and pushed, trying to get her to move back. With an annoyed grunt, the cow finally moved to the side and let the other one go. Naruto counted the head left over in the pen and sighed. They were almost done and then they could go in and relax.

Deidara ushered everyone into Naruto's truck, frowning at the wheel as he got in.

"Do you want me to drive?" Kisame asked. Deidara shook his head.

"Nope, I'll be fine!" He chuckled, turning the engine on and putting the truck into reverse. The truck jolted before stalling and Deidara's eyes bugged out slightly.

"On second thoughts, maybe it would be a good idea."

Quickly clambering into the back, switching places with Kisame, Deidara strapped up and they were off, smoothly and controlled under Kisame's hands. They waved to Naruto and Sasuke as they passed, continuing on until they hit the town.

People milled about lazily, avoiding the sun as best they could. They found somewhere to park and Kisame looked pointedly at Itachi.

"We'll go to the local shop and look for your paint while Itachi phones his uncle," he said to Deidara, taking the blond off with little protest.

Now that Itachi was alone, he could look for the estate agents. Kisame had said there was only one around here and he found it easily. He entered the shop, sighing in delight as air conditioning beat down over his body.

A man in a suit looked up from his desk, standing to walk over to Itachi. "Can I help you sir?"

Itachi nodded, "I heard there was a large plot of land around here for sale, bordering onto a ranch. I was wondering if I could get the details to the land."

The man had been a little surprised at Itachi accent, but recovered well. "Sure, come take a seat," he said, leading Itachi to his desk. He moved to a filing cabinet behind him, opening a drawer and flicking through files.

"Here you go, sir." The file was handed to him, the image of the main house on the front of the booklet. Itachi took a moment to flick through, looking quickly at the pictures.

"If you're looking to buy the land for building purposes you should probably know that a few other investors have been asking about it. Of course they haven't been in, which is why I'm telling you, but I reckon that patch of land will be sapped up fairly quickly. It's a prime location for building work, shame about the ranch next door for a business perspective." The man sighed.

"It's unfortunate, but if a corporate business buys the land and builds on it, they'll be pressuring the ranch owner to pack up and move. Things could turn nasty, I've seen it before."

Itachi placed the booklet on the desk. "And how do you know that I'm not a corporate businessman?"

The estate agent smiled. "I reckoned by those boots you've got on that you're into the equine industry and not looking to build."

Itachi nodded and asked for a pen and paper.

"These are my details. If anyone asks about the land I would be grateful if you could let me know."

Itachi stood up and shook the man's hand, collecting the booklet and leaving. He crossed over to the shop, eyes widening at the sheer size of the building.

Kisame was waiting for him by the door and they moved through the cool building. "Deidara's already gone off to the toy section. It's our job to look for the paint." He explained.

They passed by clothing aisles and a small section of food, pausing to pick up some aloe. Kisame picked up the large bottle; judging from what Deidara had said, Sasuke was pretty red.

"Perhaps we should pick up something for dinner, maybe try and make something from home?" Kisame asked. "Sasuke probably hasn't had a home meal in a while and I'm sure Naruto's never had anything before. Except the tea."

Itachi nodded, running through what he could make. If it was a traditional English meal then there were countless things he could make. He turned to Kisame.

"Cottage pie, chicken and mushroom or bangers and mash?"

Kisame looked thoughtful. "Probably a little too hot for the cottage pie... and the bangers and mash are bog standard. Get them anywhere really. Though with the chicken and mushroom, you'd have to make it all."

Itachi nodded and set off to buy the ingredients. He could buy ready-made pastry for the last minute, even though it went against every culinary instinct he had. The rest was easy. They could have new potatoes and runner beans with it.

"You better go find the paint, I'll go get the food. Meet back here in about ten minutes and then we'll get Deidara?" Kisame nodded and Itachi separated from him, hunting down everything he'd need for dinner tonight.

Kisame moved through the store, finding the paint section easily. A lady behind the counter pointed him out to the section that he needed and he browsed through the colors. They'd need two different colors for the teams.

He selected a bright red color for Itachi's teams and an orange one for Naruto's. The bright color's would stand out nicely and make things much more fun. Grabbing a few of each color, he moved to the front where Deidara was waiting with an armful of water pistols.

Kisame shook his head and set the paints on the counter and jumped to the side when Deidara dropped the pile of water guns next to the paint. The blond bounced in place, anxious to get back.

"I suppose I'll get all of this then," Kisame sighed, pulling out his wallet.

They met Itachi in their designated spot, each of them holding bags.

"We can dump this in the truck and then I need to make a phone call."

Deidara and Kisame looked solemn all of a sudden and nodded. "We'll meet you back in the truck then."

Itachi walked round the side of the shop until he came to a shaded area. He lent against the wall and brought the mobile phone Madara had supplied him with out of his pocket.

"Here goes nothing," he muttered, dialling the international code and then Madara's number.

"Hello?" a voice answered and Itachi shut his eyes.

"It's Itachi." He waited for the oncoming argument.

"Where the hell are you? You were supposed to be back days ago and I find out that you bloody cancelled the flight, rescheduled indefinitely? What the bloody hell does that mean? You better have some good answers Itachi." Madara wasn't happy.

"I know it seems bad, but we met someone here and-"

"I don't care if you meet the bloody Queen over there, you have duties here, or have you forgotten?" Madara was shouting now and Itachi wondered briefly how many people there would be able to hear this conversation.

"I just met with an estate agent. There's a plot of land for sale here at a ridiculously low price. I've been asking about possibly investing in it and expanding the family stud to America."

His uncle would want cold, hard facts, but he had to derail the moaning-Madara first.

"Where is here?" At least he was interested now.

"Texas. I'm staying with a friend on a ranch." Maybe he shouldn't have told his uncle that, but it was a bit late now. "I could email the information to you and you could have a look over, or I could make a straight offer. I know quite a few people have been interested in the plot for building work and I was told that making an offer quickly would be advisable."

Itachi waited, hoping Madara would take the bait.

"Send them to me. But don't think you're in the clear."

The beeping tone that sounded next told Itachi that Madara had hung up on him, which was perfectly fine. With a sigh, he walked back to the truck and got in, leaving for Naruto's ranch in silence.

Kisame shot Itachi a look as they drove back but didn't press the issue. He'd ask later when they had some time alone so no one overheard. The radio was the only thing playing as they drove back, no one wanting to ask how the conversation went.

When they pulled up at the ranch, the fields were empty of Sasuke and Naruto, and it seemed as though they had finished their work. Parking the truck, they all climbed out and walked up to the house.

A lone figure rested in a hammock that hung from the porch's roof, boots sitting next to it while a cowboy hat covered the face. At the sound of them walking up the porch steps, the hat was moved to the side and Naruto blinked at them.

"Y'all find everything okay?" he asked.

Itachi smiled, eyes raking over Naruto's body. How anyone made a hammock look sexy was beyond him, but Naruto had achieved such a feat.

"It wasn't too bad. I also have everything to make dinner tonight so don't worry about that. In fact I'll go start it now."

Itachi followed Deidara and Kisame into the kitchen and looked around for an apron to wear. He found one in the pantry and snorted at the print on it. Itachi had never found the 'Kiss the Chef' slogans funny before, but now, especially if someone did kiss the chef, he found them very useful.

"Right then," Itachi said as Axel pricked his ears up, the rustling of the bag catching his attention. "Let's get started."

Itachi rolled out the pastry and picked out the pie dish he had bought at the shop, unsure if Naruto had one. it was easily big enough to feed all of them and would take up most of the oven space because of it.

He chopped the mushrooms and quickly fried the chicken in a pan before adding it in. It would cook properly once in the oven. This recipe was perfect for a slow, long cook. He prepped the vegetables for dinner and set them aside for later.

That done, and pie in the oven, Itachi walked back outside to Naruto.

Naruto glanced up as Itachi walked up to him and he smirked when he saw the apron that the Uchiha was wearing. He cocked a finger at him and waited until he was close enough to drag down for a kiss.

When they pulled apart, he traced the edge of the apron. "I think I really like this apron on you." He muttered and moved over a bit so Itachi could sit down.

He didn't want Itachi too close since he knew he smelled badly. Since he had to wait for Neji still, he couldn't change and Sasuke wouldn't let him back into the house unless he changed. So instead, he was banished to the porch where a ceiling fan was keeping him cool.

"Are you busy later on tonight?" he asked.

Itachi shook his head, bending down. He ignored Naruto's protests and climbed on the hammock. It happened with difficulty and Naruto slightly hauled himself up, laughing at Itachi's expense as he clambered in.

"Well, I don't think I'll be doing this again." Itachi reconsidered his words. "Or maybe it just needs practice."

He was seated in between Naruto's legs, sitting up while Naruto was lying back on the hammock. It wasn't the most comfiest position or the most favourable (Itachi couldn't see Naruto after all), but they weren't falling out of the hammock and that's what mattered.

Naruto hummed and leaned back again. His hand reached out and ran through Itachi's hair. He wanted to sit up, but that would probably make them topple out again. His eyes closed as cool air brushed over him from the fan.

"I was thinking we'd go out to the pond tonight, if we're not too tired that is," he muttered.

Itachi smiled. His picnic fantasy could come true!

"That would be lovely. Maybe we could ride double? You can always give Susanoo a try and see how fast she can go." Itachi was beaming at the prospect. Him, Naruto, stars, a ride... it was perfect!

"Or we could take two horses out, I'm not too fussy." Itachi bent his head back slightly into Naruto's fingertips. "Or even just the two of us.

Naruto's eyes opened at the thought of riding Susanoo. He'd have to get on away from the barn so Wichita didn't see and get jealous, but that was easy to do. "Hmm, I like that idea. Riding Susanoo out under the stars and looking for those star ponies, maybe a midnight dip."

His fingers trailed down Itachi's back. "Sleep in the next morning and just be lazy until Deidara decides to play his game." His eyes closed in thought. "Chime in with anything else if you want to." He didn't want to be the only one planning things if there was something that Itachi wanted to do too.

Itachi chuckled. "No, no I'm quite taken by your plans." He smirked. "I'll whisk you away like a Prince Charming on my noble steed."

Itachi tilted his head back until he could just see Naruto. "Even though he could probably rescue himself in any need, but it's the thought that counts." Itachi waited a beat, "And the action."

"I like that thought too," Naruto said. "So long as I don't have to wear a dress, I'll let you whisk me away." He grinned at Itachi even though he couldn't see it.

He nudged Itachi to get up and they both scrambled off the hammock ungracefully. "I'm afraid I won't be able to eat dinner with y'all until I can change, but from what I can smell, I can't wait to taste it. He looked out at the fields, wondering when Neji would be getting in. School had let out about an hour ago and he was expected to be in soon.

Itachi nodded. "That's okay. The pie's a slow-cooking pie so it will take a while. Besides it's not too bad cold either. Or perhaps that's just us Brits who will eat anything if it's there."

Itachi wobbled for a moment on the hammock as he tried to get off, falling slightly and standing up with a sheepish grin. "Not the most graceful way to get out of a hammock I'll admit, but is there a graceful way?"

Naruto shook his head and laughed. "I don't think there is an easy or graceful way." A car door slammed and he looked up. Several trucks were pulling up in the driveway and students piled out.

With a sigh, Naruto grabbed the shirt that rested on the railing. "Looks like its time to get back to work. Hopefully it won't take long and I'll finish by dinner."

Neji came up to the porch and leaned against it. "Hard day?" he asked. "You look tired, Naruto."

Naruto smiled a bit at Neji. "Kinda. Had to brand cattle today and check over the calves for y'all. They're ready for you, just let me get my boots on."

Itachi greeted Neji coldly, with a nod and nothing more. Neji returned the favour and the Uchiha turned to look at the students milling about the car park. They looked a little lost, unsure whether they should wait for Neji to start wandering round, but Itachi could see they were starting to find their feet.

"Itachi! Terrible news!" Deidara came marching out of the house, arms in the air and angry look on his face. "I was just talking to Sasuke and he tells me that Sakura isn't going to be able to make it tomorrow."

Deidara's cry had drawn most of the group's attention to him, including Neji's.

"And you know what that means Itachi?" Itachi shook his head. "It means we have odd numbers for tomorrow, which means either someone has to sit out or we have to find an emergency replacement. Who the hell will be free at a day's notice!"

Deidara sighed and Itachi moved to pat his shoulder awkwardly. "I'm sure we can take turns switching around-"

"No! It's not the same. I planned these teams specifically and now everything's ruined."

Neji raised his eyebrow and turned to Naruto. "What's going on?"

Naruto chuckled. "We had planned a water fight on horseback tomorrow night and it seems as though one of our team members couldn't make it. Now we're down a person and the teams are odd numbered."

He thought about it for a while. "I guess I can call up someone else, but I think they're gone right now, and I'd rather not call Sakura's friend. She can't ride too well and we'd get no where with her."

"I'm available if you need an extra rider." Neji volunteered. "I'm not as great as y'all, but I'm not too horrible."

Naruto cocked his head. "You sure? I mean its your day off from school and all that. You can be relaxing at home instead of riding out in the heat."

Neji waved the comment aside. "It's not a problem. I'd love to help y'all out."

Still unsure, Naruto turned to Itachi. It wasn't just his choice to make. There were other people playing too and he couldn't decide it all without asking them first. "It's up to the others though. Itachi?" he asked.

Itachi had his back turned to Neji so only Deidara could see the newly developed twitch in his eyebrow. He managed to master it, as all Uchihas did, and swallowed his spite for Deidara.

"Of course not, you'd be a welcome addition to the team."

That was, until Itachi remembered Neji was on the same team as him... Stupid Deidara having to be friends with him.

Itachi could see the smirk on Neji's face and imagined, for a moment, putting him on a bucking bronco and letting him ride that out. Or better yet, on a bull. He wouldn't be smirking so much then.

It then occurred to him that Susanoo would be able to outrun whatever horse Neji was on. Sure she may not be able to maneuver as quickly, but she would be a perfect getaway horse in the event of his hand 'slipping' and squirting his own team member.

Naruto nodded and pushed Neji off the porch. "Come on, your students have places to be I'm sure." He grinned at them as they smiled at him, glad that he understood the need to be free on a Friday night.

Kyuubi was grazing in the fields and his head perked up when Naruto whistled to him. With a snort, he trotted over to Naruto and held still while a leadline was clipped onto his halter. Giving a small bounce, he hopped onto Kyuubi's back.

The stallion would be needed if a calf decided to bolt while students were looking at them. He turned around when he heard a bleating noise and he saw Itachi and Lulu walking out towards them.

Smiling, he held out his hand to Itachi. "Gotta ride them both," he stated.

Itachi decided he liked Lulu a lot. She was a beautiful goat and the distrustful stares she aimed at Neji really made Itachi feel good. And when Itachi hesitated to take Naruto's hand, Lulu nudged her head on his leg, bleating softly.

Kyuubi didn't even flinch when Itachi sat down, placing a hand on Naruto's hip. He smiled into Naruto's neck as he adjusted his seat, pressing against Naruto on purpose and catching a glare shot his way. Lulu walked between Neji and Kyuubi, tilting her head occasionally when Neji would take a step into what she called 'too close'.

"Who trained Lulu?" Itachi asked as they set off.

"Well I handled most of the training, but Sasuke did teach her to ward off some people." Naruto answered, his hand resting on Itachi's leg.

Itachi smirked. Seemed like his little brother had a wonderful brain in his head. Itachi made a note to get Sasuke something he'd like.

They stopped outside the field where the calves were separated and Naruto watched as the students leaned against the fence so they could see. He gave them a few minutes to look over them while he ran an eye over them himself.

"I'm gonna take Kyuubi in there, if you want to wait out here."

Itachi nodded and slipped off Kyuubi, moving to the fence as well. Once Itachi was settled, Naruto moved into the field and signaled the first student to come in.

The female slid through the fence and walked around them. Naruto knew that she had an eye for good lines on a calf when she picked a brown one that he liked. He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and wrote the ear tag number down.

The process continued, each student finding the calf that they wanted until the last one. He looked over the two black ones that Naruto had provided and shook his head. "Do you have any other black ones that I can look at."

Sighing and hiding the displeasure on his face, Naruto nudged Kyuubi out. "We'll be right back. Those who already picked their animal can go home. I'll have the papers ready by Monday so you can pick them up."

The students quickly vanished to their cars, wanting to get home for the weekend, leaving Itachi and Neji alone on the fence while the last student circled around the black calf's one last time.

"What time are y'all playing this game tomorrow?" Neji asked Itachi once they were alone. He turned around to watch Naruto ride off with Kyuubi into the fields.

Itachi glanced over to Neji. "Late afternoon. Probably around five so you should aim for that time. We have weapons here, but you may need a horse."

Neji nodded and Itachi followed his gaze out to the field. Naruto and Kyuubi were making rounds with the cattle, checking everything was in order. It seemed as if he'd been gone for ages, but Itachi doubted it was even over a minute.

"We're on the same team," Itachi muttered. "My friend, Deidara who you saw earlier, is joining us too. Naruto, Sasuke and my other friend Kisame will be on the opposite team."

For a second, Neji stared at Itachi. On the same team? He'd really been hoping that they'd be on opposites so he could focus his attacks on Itachi. This threw a slight wrench in his planning.

They looked up as Naruto approached and the blond shook his head. "I'm sorry Neji, the only other black calf that I have is one that I'm keeping for breeding."

Neji nodded in understanding. He called the student over and explained that he'd either have to pick from Naruto's herd or choose another one. For a brief moment they stood off to the side and Naruto slumped on Kyuubi's back.

Itachi came up to his side and rested a hand on his leg. He glanced down at him and nudged Kyuubi over a bit so Itachi could use the fence to climb on, sighing when Itachi's chest pressed against his back.

Finally they came to a decision, with the student claiming that he'd look around a bit more and then deciding. They headed back after that, and Naruto looked at Neji once they reached the trucks.

"You can use Rena tomorrow night," he said. His body was tired and threatened to fall off Kyuubi if Itachi hadn't been there to keep him upright.

Neji nodded. "I'll see y'all tomorrow then and thank you for seeing my students Naruto. I appreciate it." He glanced at Naruto and Itachi. "Are y'all busy tonight?"

Naruto blinked at the question and Kyuubi stomped his foot, tired of standing still. "We're about to go eat dinner and then we have plans after that." He yawned. "I'm sorry Neji, I don't mean to sound rude but I still have things to do before dinner and its your Friday night. I don't want to keep you from it."

Shaking his head, Neji smiled. "You're not taking me from anything, but I understand that you're busy. Thanks again for helping out." He waved goodbye and got into his car before driving off.

Itachi took the reins from Naruto's hands and steered Kyuubi back to the barn. He allowed the horse a lengthy rein, Naruto relaxing against his chest. The heat didn't help to make thing easier, it only made you more tired, and if you were out in it all day doing work then it was a far cry from an easy life.

"You go take a shower, I'll tend to Kyuubi and get dinner ready. After that we'll go out on Susanoo." Itachi smiled. "But don't worry if you're not up to it. We can always do it another day."

Itachi walked to the kitchen to turn on the potatoes, boiling them, and then adding the runner beans. He took the packet of mint leaves he had brought earlier and added them to the potatoes, moving them to a bowl and setting it on the table.

With a quick check to the pie to make sure it was cooked, Itachi set the table and called out to the house that dinner was ready. Axel bounded over straight away, looking up with adoring eyes. With a quick check to make sure no one was looking, Itachi slipped him a bean and smiled as the dog munched away happily.

The smell of dinner floated up into the bathroom and Naruto groaned. He was starving and couldn't wait to try whatever Itachi had cooked. Dirt had collected around the drain as he rinsed his hair one last time.

Sighing in relief, Naruto shut the water off and grabbed a fluffy towel. The shower had felt wonderful after today. He was a bit more awake as he pulled on some loose sweats and a shirt before heading downstairs

He was still looking forward to tonight and planned on going. Even if he had to take a nap and set an alarm for midnight. He laughed slightly at the thought and dropped down into a chair next to Itachi.

Drooling at the smell, he squirmed impatiently for everyone to sit down. His stomach growled and wanted to try everything in front of him. He could see Sasuke smirking at him from across the table, but even the younger Uchiha was staring at the food with hunger.

"Right then, everyone's here. We have chicken and mushroom pie with minted new potatoes and runner beans. Are you all okay to serve yourselves? I'll dish out the pie."

Itachi drew a spatula out and cut into the pie's edge, splitting it into equal servings and placing them on plates. From then on, people were able to get their own vegetables and sit down to eat.

Itachi took a bite of the pie, testing it. It was good, the chicken cooked nicely and the mushrooms adding flavour as opposed to ruining the pie. He looked around to gauge the reaction of the table.

Naruto hummed happily as he chewed. The chicken was tender and just fell apart in his mouth. Sometimes during the year, it was hard to find time and cook a good meal like this. Often, they prepared a weeks worth of food and just ate the leftovers. Never as good as the originals but it was quick and easy.

"This is awesome," Naruto muttered and pushed another mouthful in. He'd have to get the recipe from Itachi, since Sasuke sure didn't know how to make it. Blue eyes glanced at Sasuke, gauging his features before going back to his own meal.

He still wasn't sure how the relationship between the two brothers was going, but no one was dead yet. Sasuke seemed to be handling everything okay and didn't look close to a nervous breakdown, so Naruto could only guess that things had worked out a bit.

Perhaps with more time, they could come closer to mending the broken bridges in their past.

Sneaking a coy glance at Sasuke, Itachi smiled as he brought his fork to his mouth. There were no particular memories with this dish between the brothers, but it was a type of meal that was rare in America. It was doubtful that Sasuke had eaten any British cuisine in a while and he vowed to make a full roast the upcoming Sunday.

"Neji said he'd be joining our team," Itachi said to Deidara, confirming the plans for tomorrow. "We managed to get red and orange paint, though we won't be able to see it until the night hits or we go into the barn and close the doors."

"We'll play at night since it'll be cooler," Deidara said. "And by the time we finish, we'll really be able to see the colors." He looked excited at the thought of tomorrow and grinned at Naruto who seemed excited too.

Tomorrow was going to be a good day, one that would let them all relax. The only thing Naruto really needed to do was fill out papers for the students who wanted the calves. He knew the last student would be back again and would get the papers ready to be on the safe side.

Across from Naruto, Sasuke poked a bit at his meal before looking up at Naruto. "I got a call today from the real estate agency, Naruto. Someone was asking about it today."

Naruto frowned. He knew that Sasuke had asked the agent to inform them whenever someone asked about the land. It gave them a heads up and time to look into whoever wanted the land.

"Did he say who it was?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Didn't say. Just that they exchanged some information."

Growling Naruto shoved a piece of chicken into his mouth. Damn corporations, trying to expand where they didn't need to. For the past few months, the land had been for sell and Naruto had done his fair share of talking to the people who wanted to buy it. They all asked him how much it'd take for him to leave.

Each time, Naruto nearly punched them in the face. If he had enough money, he'd buy the land himself. But it would wipe out their funds since they were still considered a small operation.

Itachi looked at the expression on Naruto's face. He could feel Kisame looking at him, but remained quiet. There was no reason to say they were going to buy the land, or say they were thinking about it, if Madara wasn't on board. Plus they'd have to dance through negotiations about prices and would end up going against a corporation no doubt.

Itachi narrowed his eyes, stabbing at a bean. He'd have to find out possible competition and soon so that he could call a friend to investigate into the company. Sasori was excellent at digging up information and it was the reason Madara had hired him for office work, but if Sasori knew then so would Deidara.

"Have you faced a lot of trouble from people wanting to buy your land?" Itachi asked softly, prying gently. He had a slight advantage in that he wouldn't want to buy Naruto's land, but even so, he needed to get all the information he could.

Naruto nodded. "Anyone who looks at that land comes over asking about mine. Housing companies look at it in hopes of making a small little neighbourhood, thinking that it'll add a little country charm with it being so far out here."

He laughed. "They like to offer us a plot where we could build our own house if we give up our land, but that's such a shitty deal that I'm surprised they'd even think we'd consider it."

Sasuke grunted. "And then you have that one company who's looking to build a mini mall out here. Said our land would be the perfect place to put a parking lot. Joked that we could keep a few acres for kiddy rides with the horses." He smirked. "I let Naruto punch him."

Itachi smirked. "I bet they weren't too pleased after that."

Chuckles sounded at the table as Naruto flushed slightly, mumbling something. Itachi found the look on him endearing and smiled a little, shoving some pie in his mouth.

"Do you have a computer I can use after dinner to send an email?" Itachi asked, looking between Sasuke and Naruto.

Naruto nodded. "We have one in the downstairs study that you can use."

Sasuke grunted at his answer, knowing that the computer in the study was his. Naruto's laptop was upstairs in his room.

Laughing at Sasuke's reaction, Naruto corrected himself. "Sasuke's computer is downstairs, mine is upstairs. His is just quicker."

Itachi nodded and directed his words to Sasuke. "Can I borrow it? It's just to send a few certificates over from the competition. Is a scanner available?"

Itachi had got round the issue of not having a scanner. He'd just take photographs, which would be annoying and of bad quality, but it would have to do.

Sasuke nodded, "It's pretty slow, but it does work."

Itachi thanked him and finished his dinner, looking back into the pie pot and reaching for seconds. Deidara sprung up, grabbing the spatula and loading his plate again before seconds ran out.

Naruto leaned back in his chair, sipping water as he watched Sasuke jump into the fight for seconds as well. He was content to enjoy the show before grabbing whatever was left, although he was pretty full already.

Deciding that he'd wait until they left tonight to eat again, Naruto spooned a bit more onto his plate and dinner continued without anymore drama.

Once all the dishes were all cleaned up, Sasuke led Itachi to the study and turned on the computer. A grin spread across his face as he clicked a few folders and brought up a folder for Itachi.

"Consider it a prize for coming in second from your younger brother." He smirked and exited the study.

Itachi watched Sasuke leave with a puzzled frown on his face. What was that supposed to mean? With a shake of his head, Itachi turned back to the screen, adjusting his chair and grabbing the mouse before he froze.

"What the..." he managed out before he could no longer form words.

The image was a photograph, one of Naruto. He had on only a black cowboy hat on and full length cowboy chaps. They were made from a dark leather, matching the hat, with fringe running down the side. They clung to Naruto's legs and Itachi's eyes trailed upwards, wishing he could have been there in person.

As he trailed up the photo, an eyebrow raised and smirk fell into place on Itachi's face as they rounded at the top of the chaps. They had a strap around the waist, but the material covering the seat was missing, revealing two toned and rather mighty fine cheeks.

Finally tearing away from the lower part of Naruto, Itachi's eyes looked over muscular abs and strong arms, his smirk increasing as he thought of how wonderful it would be in real life. In the image, Naruto's face was flushed from embarrassment, probably caused from whatever had caused the need to wear the chaps and hat only.

Making a quick decision, Itachi loaded up his email, attaching the photograph to his home email and sending it. It appeared in his inbox for later. Before he scanned things in, he had one more thing to do and he printed the picture of Naruto out.

That done, Itachi set down to business, letting the scanner get the documents he had retrieved from his bag just before he entered the study. While he was loading up the scanner and saving the files, he took the time to study the photo again, filing away information for later.

Eventually, after sending the documents to his uncle, Itachi rejoined the others with a smile.

"All done," he said.

Naruto looked up from his book and moved over a bit so Itachi could sit down. He looked curiously at the papers in Itachi's hands but didn't question it as he leaned against the elder Uchiha.

He was more awake now that he had food in his stomach and he couldn't wait until later tonight. The hardest part would be sneaking out without anyone hearing them and Naruto smiled. It made him feel like a teenager trying to sneak out of the house without his parents knowing.

It sent a slight thrill through him and he squirmed happily against Itachi. A movie was playing on the TV, but he had no intent on watching it. Ghost movies still didn't sit well with him, even if he'd seen the movie once.

He jumped as a scream left the TV and rolled over to face the kitchen, pressing his ear into Itachi's chest to block out the sound.

Itachi shifted their weight slightly so that Naruto was more in his arms and he wrapped himself around the blond.

"Something to think about rather than the ghosts. There used to be a contest where I live where you would choose your finest horse and turn out completely naked. We'd all take to the streets for the day, a parade around us. It created a lot of fond memories I'll admit," Itachi said, smirking as he felt Naruto twitch slightly. It didn't matter that such a contest didn't exist, but Naruto now had a different image in his mind to the ghost.

Snorting with laughter against Itachi's chest, Naruto's book tumbled from his hand as his whole body shook with laughter. When he finally was able to get his laughter under control, he glanced up at Itachi and grinned.

"Thank you," he said, laughter still in his voice. He moved up a bit more. "Still on for tonight?"

Itachi kissed the top of Naruto's head. "Of course. I think Susanoo's been a bit jealous that Wichita and Kyuubi have both had us and she hasn't. You can bet she'll show off." Itachi wondered how to ride Susanoo later. Because she was taller and faster than Wichita, bareback would be a little harder.

"I was thinking of saddling her up, with you on the saddle and me behind." Itachi had done this position plenty of times before and while it was a little uncomfortable, it would be better for Susanoo and them in the end.

"That way you'll be able to stay in the saddle fully and I'll be able to control her. She's probably a little different to either of your horses, mainly because she's taller and more likely to go for big jumps out of the blue."

Itachi snuggled down a little into the sofa, resting against Naruto with a contented sigh.

Naruto looked up at Itachi, a little concern flickering through him. "She'll try to jump?" he asked. Part of him was terrified at the thought, since he'd seen her jump over the larger rails earlier in the week. At the same time, he was wondering how it'd feel and the other part of him wanted her to try.

He wondered how hard it'd be to jump if he was in front of Itachi. Frowning, he figured it wouldn't be safe anyway. Still, he trusted Itachi and knew that he'd be able to control Susanoo even if she did jump.

Itachi chuckled. Anyone being afraid to jump seemed ridiculous. He'd been jumping since before he could remember and even now there was a thrill to jumping that he loved.

"Not unless there's something to jump. But I know her well enough to read the signs and pull her out of one if you're not wanting to jump. It's a little harder with two people, but we'll manage if it ever springs up."

Itachi wanted to reassure Naruto that it would be fine, but no one really understood jumping until they did it. It was a natural process, one where you simply judged the jump and went with the horse. If you had the right line and the right pace, you could naturally fold over as the horse jumped, landing smoothly after. Susanoo would be a good horse to teach jumping on, if not for her height. She had a comfortable jump, well paced, and tended not to surprise Itachi with anything.

Naruto nodded and set his book aside. Behind him the movie was still playing but he paid no attention to it. Instead, he curled up more with Itachi and let his eyes drift shut. He'd take a quick nap now and then be ready for tonight.

He breathed in the scent of horse off Itachi's shirt and his mind drifted off. Itachi would wake him up when the movie was over and they'd pretend to get ready for bed before sneaking out. He smiled and buried his face into Itachi's chest before fading away.

Itachi could feel Naruto relax and guessed he was falling asleep. He gently reached over to turn the television off and looked down, smiling at Naruto's sleepy face. He found himself drifting off, the sofa becoming incredibly comfortable as Naruto was in his arms. He knew he'd wake up in time for them to ride and than Deidara or Kisame would take care of Susanoo's evening feed, so it was easy to drift off to sleep with Naruto.

What seemed like a couple minutes later, Naruto woke up to Sasuke shaking him gently on the shoulder. He blinked at the Uchiha's grinning face before pushing away with a scowl and sat up carefully. Itachi was still asleep and Naruto cocked his head at Sasuke.

"What's up?" he asked.

"You were starting to snore," Sasuke said. "Wanted to stop you before you started to drool on Itachi's shirt."

Naruto flicked him off and then slid away from the couch. "Laugh it up chuckles, I know that you snore like crazy when you're tired."

Sasuke waved him away. "Just wanted to tell you that we're all heading up to bed. Can relax tomorrow and I'm looking forward to starting it feeling refreshed."

Wide awake now, Naruto nodded and watched him go upstairs. He looked towards Itachi, noticing that he was awake now.

"Night Sasuke," Itachi mumbled, a little thickly from sleep. "And thank you for earlier." He shot his brother a look. "You know, the computer and stuff. I managed to print the stuff out too."

Sasuke's face brightened as he turned on the steps and he looked at Naruto. "You're welcome, anything for my friends and brother."

Naruto frowned and Itachi kissed his cheek, smoothing his worries. "What's the time?"

Naruto looked round for a clock and said, "Almost ten."

Itachi nodded, standing up. "Best we get a move on then. Susanoo may be a bit grumpy at first, but once she realises what we're doing, she'll be fine."

Bidding Sasuke a good night, Itachi and Naruto quickly changed into suitable riding clothes before walking out to the barn, greeting the horses as they flickered their head up, curious as to why they were being visited so late.

Itachi slipped a polo from his pocket, leaning over into Susanoo's stable.

"I have a surprise for you 'Noo. Come on, up you get."

The sound of a horse padding through straw could be heard before a white shape loomed int he dark, Susanoo poking her head out for the mint. Itachi stroked her cheek before leaving her with Naruto, setting off to get her tack.

Naruto ran a hand over her coat while he waited for Itachi to come back. He was wide awake now and ready to go out. He'd gone out riding at night once but that had been with a group of other riders and hadn't gone since.

"Gonna go for a midnight ride," he muttered to her, even though it wasn't really midnight. Still, it made it sound better than a ten o' clock ride. "And maybe play in the pond."

He looked up as Itachi came back and he lead Susanoo out. They both started to groom her and Naruto let Itachi saddle her up while he watched curiously. The mare snorted at them as she was led outside the stable, no doubt wondering why they were going out so late.

Naruto glanced at Itachi and then back at Susanoo, realizing once again how tall the mare was compared to his horses. "You wanna mount first or do you want me to?" He asked.

"You're up first. You'll get the saddle too so just hook one foot in the stirrup and I'll give you a leg up. You can take the reins if you want, but she won't go anywhere anyway so if you're more comfortable without then it's fine."

Itachi knew that riding English and converting to Western was far easier than the other way round. Naruto would be inexperienced in not only the seating position but the saddle shape in general. Western saddles were deeper and more padded whereas it was very easy to slip from a standard English saddle.

Once Naruto was up there, looking fairly uncomfortable and worried, Itachi took the reins and walked Susanoo around a little, wanting Naruto to get used to her before he got on too.

Glancing between Susanoo's ears, Naruto looked around the fields and felt excitement rush through him. He'd never seen the ranch from this high up while on a horse and he knew that he shouldn't be getting this excited over something like this, but he couldn't help himself.

He patted Susanoo's neck. "You are one awesome horse," he praised and ran his fingers through her mane.

He felt Itachi's arm snake around his waist before asking Susanoo to trot. He slipped forward in the saddle but stayed in. The mare had a smooth trot and he found that he was able to sit it as he normally would in a Western saddle.

They moved off the way Itachi had gone exploring earlier, though instead of heading to the neighbouring property, he moved upwards. Naruto was leaning back more now, his legs pressing against the stirrups in a slightly more Western movement. Itachi smiled and lengthened the reins, taking them in one hand only and wrapping his whole arm around Naruto's waist.

"Grab onto her mane if you need to, but we're going up to a canter."

  
**.**  


Itachi clicked his tongue, moving his legs a little. Susanoo flicked her ears, transitioning and taking off. She covered ground quickly, stretching her legs. Itachi wondered if Naruto would be up to galloping just yet, maxing her pace, but decided to wait for a while, cantering around the field just so he got used to Susanoo.

Wind whipped at his face and Naruto grinned as they sped across the fields. The herd of cattle lifted their heads to watch them go by before turning back to their sleep. His fingers gripped at Susanoo's mane for extra balance but as they continued on, they slowly slipped away as his trust and confidence grew.

He watched as the ground blurred and he shifted his weight slightly, preparing for a gallop should Itachi ask for it. He had galloped with Susanoo briefly and knew how fast she could go. But that was only watching. Riding would be a different feeling.

Naruto barely heard the question as it was snatched away by the wind, but it was still there and he nodded quickly. His hands tightened again around the chunk of mane he was holding and felt Itachi tightening his own grip.

Itachi leant forwards slightly, forcing Naruto to push up too. Susanoo caught the hint at the change in position and her hind quarters pumped harder, legs flying underneath her. It was what she was built for and Itachi just let her run, throwing her head up for a moment in enjoyment.

Itachi could feel Naruto's pulse under his hand as he clutched the blond tighter. In the darkness Susanoo seemed like a ghost horse, breezing through the long grass with such speed that anyone looking would see an odd streak darting in the night.

Careful so as not to slip from her, Itachi brought the gallop down a little, eyes searching for a cluster of scrawny hedges he had seen earlier. They were only small, but they would be a perfect beginner jump.

"Hold on tightly," Itachi said, feeling Naruto's initial panic at his words. The first jump was always going to be the scariest, but Itachi knew from experience it was better to get it done than linger about the decision.

He cantered a neat circle, Susanoo bending nicely. She straightened as Itachi lined her up, spurring her on into a controlled canter and towards the hedges.

For a moment, Naruto's heart raced as his eyes settled on the low hedges and he knew that there was no going back. He swallowed the brief fear that spread over his body right before Susanoo took off.

He felt the powerful muscles underneath him tense and spring as they moved through the air while Itachi guided her over it. The arm tightened around his waist giving him extra reassurance that he was going to be okay, but his fear had already vanished.

It seemed like the jump took forever, from the time Susanoo jumped to the time she landed, but Naruto knew that wasn't the case; still he felt as though it was longer. A laugh escaped his mouth when they landed and he ran his hand over Susanoo's neck again, thanking her for the jump.

Susanoo snorted as Itachi slowed her down, the trot bouncing until they ended up in a walk. Itachi smiled at the sound of Naruto's laughter and rested his head at the crook of Naruto's shoulder, kissing the skin there.

They stayed like that for a few minutes until Itachi halted Susanoo and slipped off of her, holding a hand out for Naruto. Naruto dismounted and Itachi ran up Susanoo's stirrups and twisted her reins, letting her wander off a little to graze.

Itachi fell back on the ground, looking up at the stars. He smiled up at Naruto, who joined him on the ground a moment later.

"That was fun," Naruto said with a grin. "Susanoo has wonderful gaits and is a joy to ride."

He leaned back and looked up at the stars as well. In a tree further away, a mockingbird sang its song in the quiet night and Naruto sighed happily. He was content to just lay here with Itachi in silence, watching as the few clouds rolled by.

His eyes widened and he pointed up. "Shooting star," he said. It trailed across the night sky and then faded away. Excited, Naruto looked around the sky for more.

Itachi propped himself up on his elbows, hair falling down onto his shoulder. He could see the stars reflected in Naruto's eyes and smiled at the face he'd grown to love. Without warning, he bent down, shifting on his side to lean against Naruto, their faces next to each other.

"If I hadn't met you I'd be in bed alone right now," he said, bringing a hand up to lay across Naruto's chest, playing with the fabric of his shirt. The grass was itchy, but it was an interesting sensation rather than an irritating one.

Naruto glanced at Itachi and reached up to run a hand through the dark locks while his other hand lay on top of Itachi's. He gave it a soft squeeze and turned his head enough to nuzzle Itachi's neck.

"I'd be staring at my ceiling right now," he muttered. "Alone too. And then I'd wake up the next day and go through the motions of ranch life without anyone to come back to besides Sasuke."

Itachi kissed Naruto gently. "I guess you'll just have to make do with putting up with me for a while then," he said, smiling. "I plan for sticking around for a while."

Itachi knew there was a limit to his words. No matter what they shared here, how they felt, it would never outrank what Madara wanted. And even if he accepted the proposal to buy the land next to Naruto's, he'd want Itachi back in England for a while.

Eventually he'd have to leave Naruto, and that thought alone made him clutch the blond tighter, trying to absorb everything that was Naruto.

Naruto's arms circled around Itachi's back and he pulled the Uchiha closer. He wanted to believe Itachi's words, that he'd be staying for a while, but he couldn't stay here forever; no matter how Naruto wanted him to.

His hands fisted Itachi's shirt as he caught Itachi's lips in a kiss. But for now at least, he could pretend that this moment could last forever. His mouth moved over Itachi's jaw line and neck, nipping and kissing the skin available to him.

Itachi gasped as Naruto kissed him, helpless to the storm that was Naruto. His skin was on fire each time Naruto touched him and it only took a moment before Itachi reciprocated, pushing Naruto back slightly and pressing their lips together, tongue flicking over lips.

His hands pressed against Naruto's back, bunching the fabric there. If he tried hard enough maybe he could weld their bodies together forever. He'd never be sick of Naruto, even if they were attached together for the rest of their days.

Itachi grazed along Naruto's jaw, moving down to his neck and tasting the skin there. Naruto tasted like horses mingled with sweat, but there was an underlying scent of living that Itachi had never felt before.

Naruto's hips arched against Itachi's and his hands clawed at Itachi's back. His tongue licked at the sweat that had formed on the pale skin before he sucked hungrily at Itachi's neck. He knew it'd leave a mark but found that he didn't care.

Let everyone see it and know that he belonged to Naruto; if only for a short while. His hands slid down Itachi's back and slipped inside his shirt, wanting to feel more skin. Panting, he tugged at the material and whimpered as Itachi continued to press kisses along his collar bone.

Itachi managed to get his arms out of his shirt, but had to break away from Naruto when it was tugged over his head. In that brief moment of no contact, Itachi opened his eyes fully, accustom to the darkness, and pounced, moving his whole body to line with Naruto's.

He could feel the heat of Naruto's skin underneath his fingertips and he pushed the fabric of his shirt up, signalling that he wanted it off of Naruto. Again there was the moment of brief lack of contact, in which Itachi took the time to move down Naruto's chest, trailing across the skin with his tongue.

With his eyes directed upwards at Naruto, Itachi made his way leisurely across the muscles of Naruto's chest, purposely avoiding nipples. Even so, Naruto's flesh prickled with goose-pimples, rising under Itachi's touch.

Naruto moaned Itachi's name and his body shivered at the contact. He arched up, searching for more and cried out when Itachi moved his fingers away. With a low growl, he brought his knees up to rest near Itachi's sides and then rolled them over.

Lust filled eyes looked down at Itachi and he leaned forward to pin his wrists to the ground. He pressed a kiss to temple, and then his lips. Slowly, he followed a pathway down Itachi's chest until he the hem of his pants. His fingers worked the buttons on his jeans and pulled the zipper down.

His looked up at Itachi and placed light kiss around his navel, watching as his muscles fluttered under the light touch. Sitting up again, his fingers traced the edge of Itachi's boxers and let them dip past the edge of the fabric.

Itachi's eyes rolled upwards as Naruto teased him, shuddering at the touches. His hips moved upwards, pushing against Naruto's hand and he hissed at the feeling the friction created. He moved an arm out of Naruto's grasp and over the blonde's shoulder, bracing each other slightly.

Itachi's chest heaved as he whispered Naruto's name, scratching at the skin on his shoulder. Just as Naruto had left his mark on his neck, Itachi would leave his own on Naruto's, a clear warning for anyone, especially Nejis, to back off.

With that thought in mind, Itachi pushed up, grinding up against Naruto forcefully and pulling him down into a fierce kiss. His own hand reached down, trailing past the line of hairs from Naruto's navel and dipping into the fabric there, teasing buttons and zip down.

Naruto shivered harshly, pushing down against Itachi's teasing hand while his tongue slid into Itachi's mouth. Their tongues wrapped around each other, trying to force the other into submission. He hissed as Itachi's hand circled around his length and squeezed it lightly.

Slipping his hand past Itachi's boxers, he palmed the erection and smirked into the kiss. They broke apart for breath, panting heavily in each others mouth and Naruto freed the hard length from the boxers.

His hand moved slowly over the heated flesh and rubbed his thumb over the leaking head. Beneath him, Itachi shivered and he leaned down to nip at the pale chest.

In a decision that took effort, Itachi pulled away from Naruto, shifting their weight so he could get rid of their remaining clothing. Naruto, while surprised at first, responded eagerly, taking the opportunity to roll their hips together, their erections sliding over one another and drawing a gasp from each of them.

As Naruto shifted to hold his weight, Itachi felt him press against his thigh and he moved his leg up, the movement jolting against Naruto. With a smirk, he hooked his hand around Naruto's neck and pulled him down, moving his hips as he did so. Halfway through the kiss he moved a hand along Naruto's chest and between them, lining Naruto up slightly so that every time they moved their erections would brush against each other.

Naruto panted as their hips rolled, erections brushing together. His breath fanned over Itachi's neck and lips before he moved to kiss Itachi again. Their tongues played together lazily, just taking the time to feel and be close to each other.

His hands moved slowly down Itachi's sides, feeling all the dips and curves on Itachi's body. He bucked against Itachi and let his hand rest on a pale hip, pulling his body closer to the Uchiha's. His toes curled as he continued to grind against Itachi, feeling heat coil in his body.

"'Tachi," he whimpered and sucked on a patch of skin.

Itachi's breath caught as Naruto said his name and his back arched, eyes closing as his head moved to Naruto's shoulder, biting the skin softly. He'd never heard a more wonderful sound before and he moved his head, kissing the side of Naruto's neck.

By now they were both panting, but it didn't bother them. In fact, the breathlessness added to the feeling and Itachi sucked in a breath of air before Naruto's name juddered out from his chest as the blonde's hand reached down between them.

"N-aruto," he panted, cheeks flushing and body heaving. Pleasure was building up inside of him, mounting like waves against a barrier. He wasn't sure how long he'd be able to hold it, especially if Naruto continued what he was doing.

Grasping both their cocks in his hand, Naruto pumped them in time with their rolling hips. He gasped as the pleasure mounted and he could feel his orgasm growing. His eyes fluttered shut and he nipped along Itachi's jawline.

"Close," he gasped. Their movements were jerky and frantic against each other.

Itachi couldn't say who came first, but they both came around each other, hands gripping tighter as orgasm took hold. Itachi's chest was heaving as he came out of post-orgasmic bliss, but he didn't dare let go of Naruto, ignoring the stickiness between them.

They moved back slowly, still against each other, but looking up to the stars. Itachi closed his eyes slowly, breathing in deeply, wanting to savour the moment forever. The darkness around them was like a blanket, the evening breeze rustling through the grass. Itachi looked to Naruto and met his stare with a smile, kissing him gently.

When they broke apart, Naruto pressed his cooling body closer to Itachi's and let his head rest against the pale chest. He knew that they should clean up a bit, but he was too content and any thought of moving slipped away from his mind.

Above them, the stars twinkled and he caught sight of another shooting star. His eyes tracked its movement until it vanished from sight, but he still made a wish on it before it passed. He didn't care if it was childish, anything to keep Itachi close like this.

A cloud in the sky shifted and Itachi could see the moon fully, reflecting light across their bodies. He didn't want this night to end, almost as if they could melt into time and be here forever.

"Can we stay here forever?" Itachi murmured to Naruto, turning his head from the stars and closing them, resting his nose gently on Naruto's cheek.

Naruto stayed silent, knowing the answer but he could still indulge Itachi in the pretend knowledge that they could. His arms tightened around the Uchiha's body and his eyes closed. Further away, he could hear Susanoo munching on grass along with the singing cicada's.

They remained together for a long time, the wind chilling slightly as time ticked on. Itachi looked at Naruto and they made the joint decision to head back, grab a shower (or, in reality, a wet cloth) and clean up before heading to a clean bed. They managed to wipe themselves mostly clean with their shirts, deciding to ride back without them on.

Itachi called Susanoo over and helped Naruto on before mounting himself. The horse looked round at them, bobbing her head as if in approval, which it probably was.

The ride back was a smooth canter, lulling them both to sleep. They returned Susanoo to the barn quietly before going back inside, grateful that everyone was asleep.

They moved around the bedroom silently, cleaning themselves up and getting ready for bed. The late hour was catching up with them and once they were cleaned up, Itachi pulled them into the bed.

Naruto immediately curled up around Itachi as the blanket was pulled over their tired bodies. They could sleep in tomorrow and just lounge around for the most part. It was something he was looking forward too. Just spending the day together before the water fight.

He smiled and pressed his face into Itachi's chest, hoping that his wish was heard.

  
**.**  



	2. Chapter 2

Itachi woke slowly, from a thick and welcome sleep. It took a moment to place where he was, and that he was awake, but he remembered what had happened the night before in an instant.

Looking down slightly, Itachi saw that Naruto was sprawled across his chest, rising in time with Itachi's breaths. Every morning should be like this, Itachi reasoned. He watched Naruto for a while, hand brushing gently through blond hair.

Madara should have received the documents by now so there was a chance a decision could be made soon. The sooner they decided, the sooner Itachi could 'volunteer' to set up down here, having the most experience bar Madara.

He placed it out of his mind yet again, knowing that there was nothing he could do. It was out of his hands for the moment and he had something else to occupy his mind.

Blue eyes opened as fingers ran though his hair and Naruto blinked awake slowly. He was warm and comfortable, there was no way he was getting out of this warm bed. The pillow that he was laying on moved up and down and it took a second for him to realize that he was laying on Itachi's chest.

He glanced up at the Uchiha and smiled sleepily. He could still fall back asleep if he stayed like this and he shifted more so closer to Itachi. A quick glance out the window showed that the sun was still rising.

With a yawn, he let his eyes drift shut again. In here, the outside world didn't seem to exist and they could just pretend that it was only them. "Few more minutes," he muttered and clutched at Itachi tighter.

Itachi chuckled, agreeing wholeheartedly with Naruto. Unfortunately they'd have to get up at some point, but why not make the most of it for now?

"What's your favourite colour?" Itachi asked, out of the blue. He had known Naruto only for a short while, and though he liked him a lot, they didn't know that much about each other. "I think mine's purple. I can never really decide, but I do like it. Used to paint my nails purple too."

Itachi shifted in the bed, smiling at Naruto. "Your turn," he said.

Naruto chuckled slightly. "You used to paint your nails?" he asked. For some reason it was hard to see Itachi doing anything like that, he always seemed so mature; especially when he rode.

"Well, mine would be orange, since not a lot of people like it. But I also like blue, its a calming color compared to the orange." Naruto paused and looked at Itachi carefully before asking his question. "What's your family like back home?"

"Yeah I did. Deidara and Kisame did too... it was more of a teenage phase." Itachi paused, wondering how to phrase the next part of what he was going to say.

"My family are... the kind of family who value tradition. My father's not so bad anymore thanks to my mother, but my uncle... he runs the family and the business." It was hard to talk about this when he'd never had the chance to before, everyone just knowing what Madara was like or not caring.

"Madara, my uncle, doesn't like things that get in the way of what he wants. He believes things in one way and that way only. If anything goes against that then it has to be wrong. Take riding for example, he believes English riding is the only way and that anything else has to be wrong."

Itachi's jaw clenched and his hands balled into fists. "He doesn't try to understand anything."

Naruto focused on a spot on the ceiling to keep himself from saying anything rude. He didn't like this Madara person. He remembered Itachi mentioning something about him earlier that week but it'd already slipped his mind.

Still, he didn't seem like it was the kind of person he'd want to hang around. He couldn't imagine how Itachi put up with him for so long. No doubt Naruto would've punched him or something.

He frowned. Although maybe he could say that because he wasn't family and it was easy for him to think that. He didn't know what obligations Itachi had to them. He leaned up and placed a kiss on Itachi's neck, trying to soothe the tense muscles.

"Did I ever tell you about the time I lost a bet to Sasuke and Sakura?" he asked, trying to bring up a funnier memory for Itachi.

Itachi relaxed slightly, looking at Naruto and shaking his head. "No, I don't think you have."

Itachi realised that Sasuke and Sakura had to be close to Naruto and he wanted to know more about them. Naruto had listened carefully to what he'd said about Madara and brought him out of the slight annoyance that had formed.

They shifted under the covers, facing each other now.

Naruto's fingers rose and traced over the muscles on Itachi's arms before speaking. "It was a bet to see who could tip one of the calf's on the ranch." He chuckled and let his hand fall down. "Stupid, I know. But each night, once of us would go out and tip a cow over. I was picked for the last night and right as I'm about to tip him over, I sneezed."

Blue eyes rolled but they still shinned with amusement. "It woke him up and I had to run from the field cause it started to chase after me." He scratched the back of his head. "I ended up loosing the bet because of that."

His arm draped over Itachi's waist and he ran fingers up the pale back. They threaded through inky locks, working out the small knots that they found.

Itachi smiled, "I bet you laughed once you got out of the field though." He swallowed, meeting eyes with Naruto and sighing.

"How about your family? And when did you meet Sasuke? He left us eight years ago, but... there's so much I want to know." Itachi knew that he'd missed a lot of his brother's life, but it wasn't Naruto's place to tell him about Sasuke. He wanted to know about Naruto's life though, when had he decided to set up a ranch? When had he left home? What were his dreams growing up?

Itachi wanted to know now because he was scared he'd have to leave before he learnt himself. Everything they had right now was so precious and he never wanted to lose this. Even if something happened, he wanted these memories forever.

Naruto looked thoughtful for a while as he lined up his own memories. "My parents are supportive most of the time. They understood my desire to own a ranch and even if it wasn't what they wanted me to do, they eventually settled down." He ran a hand through his hair. "Sasuke though, I met him seven years ago."

Snuggling back into the pillow, Naruto looked up at the ceiling. "He was at an auction and kinda looked a bit lost. I'd seen him a times before that week, riding with a small team. He knew the basics but outside of that, the instructor didn't have the best teaching skill. Sasuke had talent in the saddle, but the guy couldn't see it. I was just lucky that I was able to catch him when I did.

"We started talking and I invited him down to my ranch so I could see him ride a better trained horse than the one he was riding. The way he handled the horses, spoke to them, and just cared for them showed me that he knew what he was doing. I couldn't let him go and offered to teach him in exchange for helping me at the ranch." Naruto grinned. "We both got something out of it"

Itachi nodded, wondering how hard it had been for Sasuke. He was lucky someone as kind hearted as Naruto had picked him up and taken him under his wing, however much Sasuke would protest that didn't happen.

"Well thank you. And for looking after Sasuke I'll let you name the next foal that I breed." Itachi smiled. Honestly Naruto would be doing him a favour by naming whatever foal was next. He'd named too many horses only to have them changed. It was a little annoying to see a nice name go to something such as 'Mr. Fluffles', but it happened.

Naruto smiled at that and bobbed his head a bit. He'd offer the same to Itachi, about naming a calf, but the odds were high that the animal would end up at slaughter later on down the road and that wasn't a great way to return the favor.

"Sasuke's a quick learner, I can't wait for you to see him ride tonight. I still wish I could've seen him ride English though," Naruto mussed and then shrugged. It was a topic Sasuke didn't like to talk about much and he twisted around in the bed until he was under the sheets more. His arms circled around Itachi's waist and he let his head rest on the pale stomach, listening to it rumble slightly.

"He was good," Itachi offered, shifting a little and apologising for his rumbly stomach. "I would suggest we go get breakfast, but it's so comfortable here that I don't really want to move."

Naruto's head was only slightly visible under the covers and Itachi smiled as hair tickled his ribs slightly. A hand slipped into Naruto's hair, massaging the scalp lightly.

"My team are going to beat you," Itachi commented lightly, smirking as he felt Naruto stiffen. There was nothing like healthy competition.

"Nah uh!" Naruto exclaimed and he glared up at Itachi. "We're gonna kick your butt." A grin slipped across his face. "But if you want to put a bet on it, I'd be willing to accept an offer."

He sat up and let the sheets pool around his waist as he looked down at Itachi. Without a word, he straddled the pale hips and let his fingers trail down Itachi's chest, eyes dancing with glee.

Itachi's hands snaked around Naruto's waist and he raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? And how exactly will this bet work?" Itachi licked his lips. "I mean, we have to have something to wager, or else it will be pointless. Deidara can have his fun, but we need to have ours too."

"Hmm, if my team wins, you have ride Susanoo out to the pond in nothing but chaps and that cowboy hat I gave you. And then I'm thinking that we can have a little midnight skinny dip." Naruto stated and wiggled his eyebrows. He could just see the picture in his mind and groaned to himself, picturing Itachi strolling over to him in just the chaps and hat.

Itachi smirked, thinking of the picture that was tucked away in the pocket of some trousers. "If my team wins then I expect the same." Itachi looked directly to Naruto, "I'd love to see what you look like in real life with only chaps and a hat. Sasuke was so kind to direct me to a picture, but there's nothing like real life, is there?"

Naruto's mouth fell slack and for a second he felt like a fish. He started to babble, thinking that he'd deleted all the files from that on Sasuke's computer. Oh, his lovely roommate would pay heavily for this but in the mean time, he would make sure that his team won. He wasn't going to be wearing that outfit again.

"Fine," he finally managed to say. "We have a deal. And only we know about this; no pictures and no one else. I don't want anyone seeing pictures of my sexy 'Tachi dressed like that."

Itachi glowed inside at Naruto's name for him and couldn't keep the smile off of his face. He looked away, little smile still in place.

"I can agree to those terms," as Deidara would no doubt call it kinky and bring in more 'advice' and Kisame would just laugh... and there were some things family did not need to know about.

Though, thinking about it, perhaps Neji could accidentally see them, it would be a point to Itachi... until he realised that that would mean Neji seeing Naruto naked (Itachi didn't plan to lose, plus he had Deidara on his team), and he really, really didn't want that happening.

Naruto shook Itachi's hand and leaned down to press a quick kiss to the Uchiha's temple before rolling off him. "This is war now Uchiha," he drawled, letting a thick accent cover his words. He snorted with laughter and worked to control himself before speaking again. "I ain't going easy on you neither."

He leaned over, unable to help the laughter that bubbled up from his throat and he heard someone banging on his door behind him. It took a while before he was able to control his laughter and was finally able to yell at whoever was there.

"I hear you laughing so I know you're up," Sasuke's voice stated from the other side of the door. "Come on, we have horses to feed and cattle to check."

Naruto waved at the door even though Sasuke couldn't see and straightened up slowly. His cheeks hurt from laughing and he rubbed at them. "Yeah yeah, I'll be out in a second."

Itachi sighed and heaved himself out of bed, reaching for a hair tie and pulling his hair back. He's deal with the knots after breakfast. While Sasuke was right and they had animals to see to, their short lie-in had been a welcome addition to the weekend.

"Shall we do the rounds then?" Itachi asked, quickly pulling more appropriate clothing on. Naruto was by the door and had barely opened it before a voice called out again.

"Sasuke said you were awake! Today's the day Itachi! All my dreams will finally have come true!"

Itachi rolled his eyes at Naruto and slung his arm around his shoulders, pressing a quick kiss to Naruto's cheek. "I better go calm Deidara down before he breaks something."

Chuckling, Naruto slipped on a shirt as Itachi vanished from the room. It was cloudy outside, the sun no where to be seen and Naruto hoped that perhaps later tonight they could get some rain. After the water fight at least.

He moved downstairs and grabbed a peach before slipping on his boots. Sasuke was already walking out to the barn and he jogged after him, munching at the juicy fruit and thinking of ways to get back at Sasuke for giving out that picture.

Itachi was in the lounge with Deidara and Naruto's dog. Axel whined pitifully at Itachi and he obliged, scratching the dog behind the ears and smiling as the large head tilted.

"We should start thinking up battle plans. And I need to test out the horse Naruto has for me... and we need to think up a costume design-"

Itachi blinked and interrupted Deidara. "Excuse me? No one said anything about costumes."

Deidara shook his head and tutted lightly. "That's why I'm on our team. It'll be nothing too elaborate, but good enough to intimidate our opponents."

Itachi was slightly worried for his own sanity and left the room, picking two apples from the kitchen before heading to the barn. Kisame was probably already there with Susanoo and Itachi reckoned he could sneak his horse a treat. He did like to pamper his horses, but Kisame, as his head groom, was strict about being too kind and ruining a specifically designed diet.

But they were on holiday so it didn't really count.

Out in the barn, Naruto fiddled with a strand of rope in the feed room while Sasuke sorted out the feed. The animals had already been fed but the mixed grains were getting low and was better to mix everything now instead of waiting to fully run out.

"We need to to win this water fight today," Naruto finally spoke up and let the rope fall on his lap.

Sasuke straightened up and set the scoop on the table next to him. "It may seem like Deidara is taking this seriously, but it is still just a game." He rolled his eyes. "Not like we bothered to wager anything."

Naruto felt a weak chuckle bubble up and quickly quelled it. No one was going to know about this bet, Sasuke would never let him live it down if their team lost.

"I'm just saying, I think it would be nice to win it. And you know, both Itachi and Neji are on the opposite team, you can spray them down and no one would blink at it."

An evil gleam danced in Sasuke's eyes before he turned back to the barrels. "I'm not sure what you're talking about. Now get up off your lazy ass and come help me."

Grunting, Naruto stood up and grabbed a bag of feed, tearing open the top. From the room, he could see Itachi walking by with apple in hand, no doubt going to see Susanoo. He only had a little bit of work to do today and then he'd spend the rest of it with Itachi. Doing what, he wasn't sure, but being lazy sounded good too.

Kisame had looked the other way when Itachi had given Susanoo the apple, biting chunks off for her, and he left the barn a little later, exiting out and looking up to the sky. Even in the morning the weather was ridiculously hot and he still wasn't quite used to it.

Still, it was much nicer than the unpredictable rains back home... not that it would last long. Soon he'd be moaning about it being too hot, as a typical Englishman.

Naruto was still working inside and Itachi decided to wait. He took a seat on the ground, his back against the barn wall, and took comfort in the slight shade. Closing his eyes, Itachi felt warm and comfortable, until something started nibbling at his hair.

Surprised, Itachi opened his eyes to come face-to-face with Lulu and she bleated in his face, tilting her head curiously.

"Morning," Itachi greeted, scratching the top of her head. "You waiting for Naruto as well?"

She bleated again and butted his hand. Her floppy ears swung back and forth as she pranced in place, her small hooves tearing up strands of grass. She stopped moving as voices started to float out of the barn and Naruto walked outside with Sasuke trailing behind him.

Naruto greeted her with a smile and patted her sides. He frowned when a small cloud of dust puffed to the surface and he glared down at her. "Have you been rolling around in the dirt?"

She blinked, trying to look innocent. When it didn't work, she dug her hooves into the ground, knowing that Naruto was about to drag her to the wash rack.

His fingers circled around the small collar she wore and gave it a slight tug. "Sasuke won't let you near the porch if he sees how dirty you've gotten. A quick bath and then you can go play again." He glanced at Itachi. "Ever give a goat a bath before?"

Itachi shook his head. He'd given many horses baths, dogs and cats baths too... but never a goat. Still, how hard could it be?

Then again looking at the stubborn goat digging her heels into the ground, maybe it would be a lot harder than Itachi thought.

Lulu bleated and looked to Itachi for help. He couldn't do anything but watch at the creature was dragged across to a hosing point, Naruto struggling against the determined goat. She really, really didn't look like she wanted to have a bath.

"Stubborn," Naruto muttered and quickly attached the chain to Lulu's collar. She glared down at it and then swung accusing eyes up at him. Naruto looked away, knowing that he didn't have a choice.

He turned the hose on and adjusted the spray to a softer setting. Behind him, a bucket rattled and he watched as the water bucket he was going to use rolled away. Blue eyes turned to Lulu who stood innocently nearby.

Grunting, Naruto set the hose down and went to go pick up the bucket. While he was gone, Lulu leaned forward and nudged the handle on the facet, slowly cutting the water off.

When Naruto came back, he glared at the goat and went to fill up the bucket. A slow trickle of water came out and hit the bottom of the bucket with a pitiful sound.

Itachi watched, barely containing laughter. It seemed that whatever one of them did, the other would combat it instantly and set them to the beginning again.

"Would you like some help?" the Uchiha asked, stepping forward. He didn't mind getting wet and Naruto looked like he could use a hand.

Grabbing Lulu by the collar, Itachi crouched down, balancing on the balls of his feet. He anchored himself in place the best he could and tugged the goat slightly away from the faucets, blocking her from cutting off the water. She wasn't happy with the arrangement until Itachi remembered the packet of polos in his pocket (he pretty much had a packet in every single garment he owned) and he pulled one out, offering it to her.

"Only if you're a good girl and have a bath can you get another one."

Lulu stared at Itachi before bleating as water hit her back and she was unsure who to glare at first.

Naruto's fingers scrubbed at the dusty coat, making sure to work in the small amount of shampoo. Dirt clung to his arms as he moved over the tiny body, scrubbing every little path of hair while Itachi held onto Lulu.

"Be nice," he murmured as the goat eyed Itachi, wondering if it'd be worth it to headbutt the other person holding her hostage. She finally huffed and stomped her foot, settling down and enjoying the bath.

Rolling his eyes, Naruto rinsed off the suds and quickly finished with a small drop of conditioner to make the coat look shiny. In a month, he'd need to trim her coat before it got cold again, but for now, it was a good length.

"Finished," Naruto exclaimed happily. Water droplets dripped off her coat and Naruto looked at Itachi. "Make sure she doesn't try to bolt. I'll dry her off and then she can nap on the porch now that she's clean."

Itachi smiled and rubbed Lulu's head gently. She bleated before turning slightly and lipping Itachi's hand.

"Ah your reward!" Itachi pulled out the polos and offered the goat two, which she quickly snatched up and ate.

A gleam entered Lulu's eye and she shook herself, droplets of water coating Itachi as he was in very close proximity. When she was done, she bleated happily, raising her head smugly. Whoever said animals were stupid was very, very wrong.

"Naruto your goat just got me," Itachi mock-moaned, smiling as he looked up to the blond. A towel was thrown over Lulu and Naruto rubbed her down a little.

"Silly girl, where are your manners?" Naruto scolded gently. His tone was light though and he knew that the goat could tell he was playing around. He glanced up at Itachi and leaned forward.

His fingers wiped away a few droplets on Itachi's face before he pressed a kiss to the pouty lips. He pulled back with a grin and finished drying Lulu off. Once she was relatively dry, they all made their way back to the house where Lulu trotted over to a rug and lay down on it.

She rolled around on her back, drying herself off more before dropping her head down with a sigh. Her eyes watched as they entered the house and the screen door shut behind them softly.

**.**

"You may want to keep an eye on Rena. Deidara's taken to her. If you find her missing, check for him." Itachi began walking back to the kitchen, "And I have a feeling he wants to breed from her too. I'll keep an eye on Deidara if you keep one on your horse. He's never bred a foal by himself and I shudder to think what any horse trained solely by him would end up like."

For a moment, Itachi had the image of a horse painted in Native American garb, Deidara seated in the saddle, prepared to charge on. It would probably come true in time too, which was rather disheartening considering the reputation Deidara was supposed to uphold.

Speaking of breeding, Kisame had been planning to contact Madara today, ask whether he wanted to finalise plans for the land next to Naruto's. He'd be making a quick journey into town later, hopefully to sign a preliminary deal. Itachi would go back tomorrow or Monday to make it official.

It really helped having a lot of money to push deals along.

Naruto poked around the fridge for some food, laughing at the thought of Deidara trying to sneak away a horse. In his mind, he saw the blond covering the mare with a sheet and trying to smuggle her through customs at the airport.

"I'll keep an eye on her then. If she's gone in the morning, I'll know where to look." He stated and pulled out some lunch meat

Quickly, he made some sandwiches for them and grabbed a bag of chips. They took a seat in the living room and Naruto propped his feet up on the table, keeping an ear out for Sasuke.

"Did you need to use the computer again?" he asked, munching on a chip.

Itachi shook his head, "Not at the moment, but I may need to as a sudden thing. Things change quickly and all, as I'm sure you're aware." Itachi sniffed and made a note to pick up some herbal teas. They would be refreshing in the heat and light on the stomach.

It was at this moment that Deidara came in, beaming. "Itachi! I've finalised the cost-oh. Naruto," he greeted distainfully, clutching the piece of paper that had been in his hands to his chest. "I didn't know you would be here."

Itachi guessed that Deidara had finalised the costumes (not that he'd be wearing them) and didn't want Naruto to see them. "I'll be waiting for you Itachi, twenty minutes by the goat."

As he left, Itachi took a bite of his sandwich, snuggling slightly into the sofa.

"Deidara's designed costumes," he explained to Naruto, reaching for a few crisps from the packet.

Naruto laughed. "Of course he did." The chip broke apart as he bit into it. "Not as good as the costume that you'll be wearing for me when you loose."

He grinned and leaned against Itachi, pressing a kiss to his neck. The plate balanced in his lap as he closed his eyes and let his fingers run through the dark ponytail.

Behind them, Sasuke moved into the kitchen and grumbled something about feet on the table before deciding to drop the subject. He looked out the window and onto the porch where Deidara was trying to stay next to the goat, yet stay away as much as he could.

Lulu's ears twitched in her sleep and Deidara moved away. Sasuke snorted and grabbed a few tomatoes from the bowl. "Who's making dinner tonight, or are we having leftovers?"

"Leftovers," Naruto called out and set the plate on the table before leaning against Itachi. "Has it been twenty minutes yet?"

Itachi sighed. "Probably not, but Deidara's time is a little warped. I think I better discuss plans with him right now before he gets grouchy."

Itachi got up slowly, kissing Naruto's cheek before he left. He muttered something about Deidara being like a child before heading out to the porch and sitting between Lulu and Deidara. The goat was asleep and her ears stirred as Itachi approached, but he gently scratched her neck, sending her deeper into her dreamworld.

"So what are these costumes then?"

Deidara smoothed his sheet of paper out where the rough outline of a person and horse stood.

"What is this supposed to be?" Itachi asked, looking at the messy scrawl and complicate scribbles, trying desperately to decipher what it meant.

"It's obvious!" Deidara whispered, careful not to wake the goat. "Here," he pointed to the fluffy things covering the person's waist, shoulders, head and part of the horse. "This is tumbleweed. They have tonnes just rolling about here, it's on the TV and everything. We get some of that and stick it to our clothes for camouflage."

Deidara pointed to the spiky parts at the very top of the person's head. "And this is attached to our hats, cacti fresh from the neighbourhood!"

Itachi frowned. This wasn't a costume, it was a catastrophe.

"I hate to break it to you but I haven't seen a single tumbleweed since we've been here, nor a cactus. I think we'll have to look into some... well, more normal things to wear."

Deidara's eyes narrowed. "They do have things here. Just because you don't like the design!" Deidara stood up.

"Naruto!" he called out, sticking his head into the house. "Itachi's usurping my position of team captain and rejecting my creativity! Help!"

Naruto's head poked over the couch and even Sasuke looked up from the recliner he was sitting in. "We have team captains?" He asked, turning to Sasuke for confirmation.

Sasuke shrugged. "I thought we were keeping this thing fun and uncomplicated. Captains and costumes, and whatever else you have planned will make it hard to move around." He looked at Deidara. "We're going to keep this simple. Its a way to help cool in this hot weather."

Nodding, Naruto leaned back into the sofa again, letting his eyes slide shut. "If you want costumes though, we have some skin paint somewhere in the garage. But don't make a mess looking for it." He paused in thought. "And let Itachi come back in."

Deidara, who had been glaring at Sasuke for saying they needed to keep it simple, beamed at Naruto. "I love you Naruto!" he whispered before running off to the garage, intent in finding the paint.

Itachi stood up and followed Naruto back in. They settled back on the lounge, limbs tangled as they curled up slightly.

"He's not always like this. He can be the most loyal friend and trusted colleague when he wants to be. He's just always had this dream." Itachi burrowed his face into Naruto's neck. "He used to play with Sasuke when they were younger, but then Sasuke left and no one else at our yard's really interested in Western."

Itachi pulled back up and turned slightly to face Naruto. "And he just gets a little overexcited. Tomorrow you'll get to see a calmer Deidara." Itachi paused before continuing, "Or the sulky version. Though I plan on it being the happy one."

"It's okay, its going to be fun either way. Although," he paused and looked at the door. "There isn't any paint for him to find. We ran out years ago."

He leaned against Itachi, feeling bad about lying to Deidara like that, but at the same time, it would be better for everyone if he had something to keep his mind occupied until tonight.

Itachi shrugged, "Good good. He won't realise for a while." He smiled, sighing. "And I plan to stay right here for a while."

He pulled his arms tighter around Naruto, smiling again. Fraternising with the enemy could become a new hobby of his.

**.**

Itachi watched as a car pulled up and knew the time had come to be civil to Neji. They'd have to work together in order for Itachi to win the bet, as much as he disliked the man.

Deidara was outside already, greeting Neji politely. Itachi joined them, wondering where Naruto, Kisame and Sasuke were.

"Hello," he said politely to the newcomer, holding out a hand. Neji shook it before looking to the barn, and Itachi remembered he was also borrowing one of Naruto's horses.

Kisame ran a hand over the gray colored neck, looking outside where Neji was standing with his team. Next to him, Sasuke reached over and scratched the mare's neck and glanced at the other team as well.

"Graphite doesn't like him, otherwise you'd be riding Wichita," Sasuke muttered. "But she's a good horses too, quick on her feet and a good match to Rena."

Nodding his head, Kisame started to walk forward and Sasuke trailed after him. Behind them, Naruto brought up the rear with both Kyuubi and Wichita prancing behind him. Well, Kyuubi pranced and Wichita followed at an easy pace.

They came to a stop in front of the other team, silently looking them over. "Neji, you're going to be riding Wichita. I forgot that Graphite tried to take a bite out of you last time." Naruto said, holding up the reins. He glanced at Sasuke who seemed to be smirking, somehow pleased with his horse's actions.

Neji accepted the reins with a thanks and smiled at Naruto before walking back to the other side again.

Itachi entered the barn to get Susanoo and Rena. They had already been bridled up and walked happily on either side of him, hooves clipping the ground. Deidara moved to take Rena, stroking her neck and making a fuss of her. Itachi slipped Susanoo a polo and she happily crunched the mint down.

"Where did you put the guns?" Itachi asked, looking to Deidara. He passed Rena's reins to Itachi and set out to the porch, grabbing Kisame as he passed him. They returned, arms laden with large water pistols.

"There are refilling points around this part of the ranch. The buckets with the red sticker are for the red team and likewise for the orange. Don't get mixed up please or you'll just ruin it." Deidara started handing out water pistols, making sure each team had the right coloured-sticker pistol.

"So I think we should probably mount about now!" Deidara took back Rena and nodded to Itachi and Neji.

They quickly mounted, and Naruto tested the water gun, making sure that it was filled and working properly. Kyuubi snorted at him when he sprayed a small spot on his shoulder, making Naruto laugh.

Without a word, the teams separated to opposite sides and Naruto glanced back over his shoulder to grin at Itachi one last time before focusing on his team. They had agreed, no mercy and they were both free game. No holding back in worries of upsetting the other.

"Do you see any refill stations?" Sasuke asked as he scanned the flat land around them.

Kisame nodded. "I think there's one over there, but the rest seem to be hidden well. We'll have to find them as we go."

Naruto stopped Kyuubi next to them. "So, do we just charge at them and hope for the best?"

Snorting with laughter, Sasuke grinned. "That could work. Dodge and run as fast as you can. Both you and the horse are a moving target."

They turned back around and faced the opposing team, ready to charge when the cry sounded.

Itachi could feel Susanoo's excitement as she faced the three horses. He steadied her a little, causing her hooves to move back as she moved backwards in slight defiance. She was ready to go, and ready now.

The basic idea, as Deidara had said a lot, was to get the opponents wet and keep yourself dry, horses included. Neji had been briefed on the quick plan of action, get away from the other team and meet up behind one of the barns to plan their next move.

They'd already decided where to split up, Itachi looping into the fields, Deidara cutting around the house and Neji taking the most direct path. They would probably draw one member of the other team each, which was better than the odds of two on one.

"Go!" Deidara shouted, steering Rena off and away.

Itachi was off a second later, angling his gun in the crook of his elbow to fire at Naruto, breezing through the gap created by someone moving off after Deidara. Itachi laughed, the water pistol jiggling in his hands. It was ridiculous, six grown men having a full on battle, but it was wonderful.

Naruto gripped onto Kyuubi's mane as they ducked to the side as Itachi tried to spray them down. To his left, Sasuke was chasing after Neji while Kisame had decided to follow Deidara.

They spun around and Kyuubi planted his hooves as his legs gathered underneath him. With a snort, he jumped forward at Naruto's signal, intent on catching Susanoo and Itachi off guard. Naruto grinned and aimed his gun at Itachi, letting Kyuubi figure out the mares moves.

It didn't seem far, but on her end, Susanoo had speed and the two would end up complimenting each other nicely.

His shot feel short as Susanoo cantered away and Kyuubi quickly chased after her. His ears were perked and Naruto could tell that he was enjoying himself. He glanced back, looking for the other players and whistled when he saw Sasuke.

Chidori was closer than they were and he pulled off his chase to trail after Neji as Sasuke took off after Itachi.

Itachi saw Naruto move off to the side and glanced sight of Neji. That left either Kisame or Sasuke following and, from the sound of it, it was Sasuke.

A wet spray hit the centre of Itachi back and he jumped, jerking up and turning his head around sharply. Sasuke's pistol was aimed directly his way and he was smiling. Damn.

With a click of his tongue, Itachi asked for Susanoo to go faster. Despite the speed on Chidori, the gap between the two horses widened until Itachi was satisfied he had put enough time between them to turn round neatly.

Pulling her up, Itachi asked for a turn, Susanoo pivoting around her hind leg and setting off the other way. Settling his gun as if it was a jousting pole, Itachi ducked his head down, increasing the speed and aiming the gun. He'd have to be careful here to avoid Sasuke's attacks and make a quick get away. Chidori was learning to cut and this meant that she would be agile and nimble on her feet, hardly taking any time to slow and turn, unlike Susanoo.

Itachi also had another trick up his sleeve and he slid the knee of one leg up, bringing the ankle to rest slightly under himself. He'd trained an equestrian vaulter's horse before and they'd taught him a trick so that he could prepare the horse for the work it would be doing later.

Itachi could see Sasuke preparing to fire and steered Susanoo a little to the left, dodging the spray of water. He fired the gun once, catching Sasuke's arm, before slowing Susanoo a little, drawing a frown from his brother.

The canter was smooth and even, allowing Itachi to flip his leg over the side fully. Part of the water gun stuck out at the top and he grabbed it with his teeth, stomach flat over Susanoo's back as he balanced over her. She snorted, uncertain, before Itachi pushed his arms under himself, muscles straining as he turned his body, swung a leg over and ended up facing backwards.

It had taken a lot of time to perfect the move and a lot of bruises, but he'd managed to get the gist and keep at it. It also allowed him a clear and perfect shot at Sasuke's back, which he sprayed generously, aware that he couldn't stay backwards for much longer.

"Slow a bit," Itachi said softly and Susanoo obeyed, dropping to a trot. Itachi slid off, hitting the ground and turning round, running to catch up with his horse. She looked at him and stopped, halting fully as Itachi climbed back on with effort. It didn't help that she was so tall, but the vaulting helped here too and Susanoo was strangely compliant to being jumped on.

As soon as Itachi was back up, they set off, ignoring the approaching Sasuke and making use of a Thoroughbred's gallop.

Sasuke scowled as dust kicked up from Susanoo's retreat. He didn't even know that Itachi could do something like that. He pulled Chidori off to the right, circling around the back part of the fields.

Deidara was the only person he hadn't chased after and he had already seen that Naruto was still working with Neji, who looked a little damp. They circled around the house and he paused at the sight of an orange bucket resting next to a fence post.

The coast was clear and he quickly topped off his gun and hauled himself up. Chidori snorted and took off at a gallop, searching for the opposing blond. Ahead, he could see a small puff of dust and he steered towards the area.

Kisame flashed by him and Sasuke knew that someone must be chasing him. Urging Chidori to keep the pace, they galloped towards the next person in a slight arc to avoid direct detection.

Deidara soon came into view and he guided Chidori closer as they moved in suddenly. He sprayed his gun, making a long line on Rena and Deidara's leg as they passed and he grinned as they kept running.

He glanced back slightly, trying to see what Deidara had decided on doing. Continue chasing Kisame or come after him.

Deidara narrowed his eyes as the spray of water cut across his leg. He turned to see Sasuke and pulled up, maneuvering Rena to face Chidori.

"We meet again, Lightning-boy," he growled, twisting his fingers into the light-coloured mane. He'd been waiting to find Sasuke for a while now and he finally had him.

With a war cry, Deidara charged, aiming his pistol and shooting at Sasuke. Moving the gun was easy and Deidara had long since mastered the art of being able to shoot furthest, and he managed to catch Sasuke a few times.

Dodging the return fire, however, was a little difficult and he was sure that a few splatters landed here and there. He was at a slight disadvantage with not fully knowing Rena, but they still put up a fight.

At least, until Deidara ran out of water. With a curse, he tried to remember the nearest red bucket, coming up with a small tree nearby. He'd have to shake off Sasuke first before reloading otherwise he'd be an easy target.

"Let's go!" he called out, nudging Rena and setting off to loop around the field with the tree.

Sasuke arched an eyebrow at Deidara's actions and managed to get one last shot in before Rena pulled away. He slowed Chidori down so she could catch her breath and they walked around slowly.

He could refill his gun during the down time and kept a careful eye out while walking back. He stopped Chidori when he spotted another horse at the bucket and realized it was Naruto. They looked at each other and tried to figure out how they were doing.

Briefly, they explained how they were doing and filled up their guns before mounting up again. They still needed to find Kisame and figure out how everything was going, but for now, they needed to split up before someone found them.

"Deidara went that way," Sasuke said.

Naruto nodded. "And Neji and Itachi were somewhere back there. Itachi ended up looping back while I was trying to get away from Neji." He glanced in the direction where Deidara would be. "Careful if you try to get them, they might try to gang up on you."

Sasuke grunted and they parted once more. He circled around the house and quickly pulled Chidori back. He poked his head around and narrowed his eyes as Itachi and Neji stood together and he backed the mare up, wanting to get away unseen.

Itachi looked to Neji, checking his gun. He had filled it up recently and just wanted to check the cap was on nicely. They would set off in a minute, but the rest was a welcome addition, for both humans and horses.

Itachi looked up as Wichita shifted closer, sticking his nose out to greet Susanoo. She snorted to he friend and Itachi smiled, looking to Neji. His smile fell as soon as he caught the smirk on Neji's face and a frown replaced it.

"Naruto's looking good tonight," came the comment, spat out harshly in a way that Itachi knew was supposed to dig.

Instead of replying, Itachi looked down to the pistol in his hands. He brought it up, cocking it slightly in his arms and compressing the trigger, air pushing a spray of water through the nozzle and straight onto Neji's face.

Neji looked horrified for a moment, mouth open and eyes screwed shut. Droplets of water dribbled down his face and Itachi fought the urge to laugh. The dark was settling in nicely now and it wouldn't be long before his handiwork fully paid off.

No one would use Naruto to get to him. Whatever deal Neji had against him, they would act it out as individuals, leaving Naruto out of their problems. Naruto shouldn't have to choose between a friend and colleague and a love interest. Itachi wasn't someone who wanted that in any situation.

"You might want to watch your back," Itachi commented, eyes darting to the nearby tree. He waved his hand a little, preparing to steer Susanoo away.

Neji was angry and his words harsh, "What? In case you decide to spray me again?"

Itachi shook his head, chuckling as he brought Susanoo to a trot. "Not me you should be scared of, but my little brother."

Susanoo sped up as Itachi left Neji behind, bent on Susanoo's neck and laughing like a kid.

Hearing the pounding hooves fade away, Sasuke glanced back around again, seeing Neji standing alone. He looked slightly damp and Sasuke couldn't pass up the chance. He spurred Chidori on quickly, wanting to catch Neji off guard.

He laughed as his spray soaked the males chest and Chidori moved into a gallop without pausing. He didn't need to look back to know that Neji was on his ass. Chidori's legs blurred underneath her body as they made their get away.

Around the corner, he could see Naruto stalking Itachi. Kyuubi snaked towards them at a slow trot. His gun was drawn and he waited until they were closer to urge Kyuubi forward at a canter.

The spray hit Itachi in the back and Kyuubi slid to a stop, ducking to the side before Susanoo could turn around. He moved into a flat out gallop, trying to get as much distance between Itachi, knowing that Susanoo would catch them quickly.

Itachi saw the culprit moving away and turned Susanoo slightly, steering her onto the path. As well as her speed, Susanoo had one other thing going for her than Kyuubi didn't. She was a trained cross country horse and while Kyuubi skirted around some of the objects around, Susanoo would make fast work of bushes and rocks.

"Come on 'Noo, let's show them what we've got."

Susanoo snorted and sprung forwards, charging. The ground flew past below and Itachi bent forwards in the seat, folding naturally with his horse's body. Smaller objects were skimmed over, but Itachi could see a fence up ahead. While it was designed to keep cattle in, Susanoo had jumped much larger and intimidating fences. Itachi tied a knot in the reins, knowing he wouldn't need them but didn't want them to tangle.

Naruto had lost valuable time in cutting round to the gate and Itachi grinned and settled his gun in his arm. He might be close enough when jumping to target Naruto.

Susanoo took off, legs curling over the fence as her hindquarters powered through. Itachi let the reins drop, settling neatly onto her neck, and folded at the hips. As they sailed over the fence, Itachi pushed the gun trigger and sent a jet of water over Naruto's shoulder and chest.

Naruto sputtered as the cold water hit his body and he quickly spun Kyuubi around. His fingers gripped the red colored mane as the stallion's hindquarters swung around and they bolted off in the other direction.

He knew what Itachi was doing now and realized that he had to use his own advantage. He knew the land like the back of his hand and took off to the wooded area. While Susanoo could jump over the brush, Kyuubi would be able to cut around them and weave quicker than she could.

If he was lucky, she'd slow down more in the crowded trees, giving them time to get away. They galloped for the tree line with Itachi right on their heels. The branches snapped as they passed by the trees, and he ducked lower.

Kyuubi weaved around the trees and darted past the brush covering the ground. He could hear the pounding hooves behind him and urged Kyuubi to use every skill possible to cut away.

Itachi grit his teeth, eyes darting as they wove through the trees. They were losing ground through this area as Kyuubi was much faster here and he hoped they'd find some flat ground soon.

He could feel Susanoo's annoyance beneath him and knew she would be ready to gallop flat out as soon as they exited. Years of training and conditioning had made her supremely fit and ready to gallop for long periods of time. Kyuubi worked for long periods of day too, but he wasn't conditioned to speed in the same way Susanoo was.

The wood was beginning to thin out and Itachi could see Naruto was gone from it already, taking advantage of Susanoo slowing. He'd be a way ahead once they finally got out, but he just had to get out of the trees.

Susanoo stretched her neck out as soon as they exited the trees and Itachi spurred her on, clicking his tongue and nudging her with his feet. She flew, a white blur in the twilight, gaining on Kyuubi and closing the gap.

Still, they were too far away from making the shot and, in a split decision, Itachi steered Susanoo out of the gallop, pulling short of the second wood Naruto had cut into and staying in the open instead, moving away from the trees in case Naruto was waiting.

A movement caught Itachi's eye and he noticed Kisame a little way off. There was no way he could catch Naruto in the woods and so he set off over the open ground, moving to his friend.

Kisame cursed as he caught sight of Itachi coming for him and quickly urged Graphite away. They galloped away and turned around the barn. He knew he couldn't out race Susanoo, the mare was too fast.

He turned around on Graphite's back to see Itachi gaining quickly. He waited until the mare was closer before pulling back on the reins. Graphite tucked her back legs under her body and Susanoo flew by them.

He sprayed at the mare and laughed as Itachi's spray found his own mare. The gray coats darkened under the water and Itachi continued on his way.

Spinning Graphite around, Kisame sent her off at a canter in the opposite direction. It was getting dark now and he could see the colors starting to glow in the darkness. It would be time to call the game soon but there was always the chance of finding someone else to hit one last time.

With pistol loaded, Kisame cantered off to find Deidara one last time.

Deidara circled round, eyes peeled for anyone. He was starting to glow and slightly miserable at the amount of orange all over his body. Rena whickered softly and Deidara looked up, quickly maneuvering out of the spray of a pistol and chuckling to Kisame.

"You look a bit wet!" He called out, leaning over on one side of Rena slightly and aiming the gun. Kisame cocked his own water gun and the pair sped past each other, spraying as they met.

Laughter echoed around them as they reined in their horses, guns empty and paint glowing all over them. The darkness had finally closed in and everyone would be heading back to the starting point now.

Itachi met up with Deidara and Kisame on the way, orange paint sprayed all over. The fluorescent paint gave off a bright glow and it was easy to spot other people now.

"You two are looking good," the Uchiha greeted, running a hand through an orange patch on Susanoo. The horses would be getting good baths tomorrow.

"Most people will be back now and we can see which team glows more." Itachi smirked at Deidara's words, hoping that Naruto would have lost. There may be a minor setback with Neji, but everyone would get over that.

Sasuke and Naruto met up with Neji on the way back to the meeting place. Sasuke was chuckling at the red glow that was on Neji's face and could only imagine what happened. He was tempted to ask Neji if the gun had misfired but held his tongue instead.

Neji was too busy trying sulking as they walked back, it wouldn't have been fun anyway. But it was better to see the scowl on his face every time he glanced over at Sasuke, knowing that he couldn't get close to Naruto without going through him first.

"I think that was fun," Naruto stated. "We should do it again. Sakura would have fun with it too."

"Teams of two?" Neji asked from the other side of Sasuke. "Since there would only be four people?"

Naruto fell silent and his hands clenched at Kyuubi's mane. Neji's words cut deep, reminding him again that Itachi wasn't staying forever. He pushed the thoughts aside and tried to put on a happy face as they approached the other glowing riders. It was best to enjoy the time now and hope for the best.

Itachi trotted ahead slightly, Susanoo eagerly running to butt Wichita and Kyuubi, before turning her attention to Chidori. She whickered before lipping at Sasuke's horse, flipping her lip back to reveal long teeth.

Itachi reached a hand out, smiling at Sasuke. "Thank you," he said, taking his brother's hand and shaking it firmly. Sasuke nodded in return and Itachi moved on, thanking the others for the game.

"Come on now! We need to look and announce the winners. Gather, gather!" Deidara waved his arms, trying to clump everyone closer.

"Right Neji- what the hell happened to you? Why on earth do you have red on your face! That's our colour!"

Neji scoffed but stayed silent. He wouldn't squeal on Itachi, it was unbecoming of him to do so. Instead, he would take the high road and act as though he didn't know what Deidara was talking about. He'd be the bigger man.

Sasuke snickered and looked towards Itachi who was looking at Neji with a content look on his face. Never make an Uchiha mad.

Next to Sasuke, Naruto's face fell as he looked over the amount of color on everyone. He couldn't bring himself to ponder the added color on Neji right now. He was too busy realizing how much more color they had on their bodies than Itachi's team.

He groaned to himself; he had lost and would have to wear the chaps and hat, again. Still, on the bright side, he'd be wearing it for Itachi. That had to count for something and no one else was going to know about it, unlike last time.

Itachi scanned the group, a smile grinning as he realised there was more orange present in the group than red. He caught Naruto's eye and nodded, teeth visible as he smiled widely.

"We'll collect up the refill buckets now before animals get them. Just to be on the safe side... they're pretty easy to spot." Deidara turned to Kisame and nodded.

"Good plan." He chuckled. "I did it!" Everyone rolled their eyes at the exclamation. "I actually won!"

Itachi, along with the other, entered the barn to put the horses away. The paint wouldn't do them any harm and it was too late to bathe them right now. Tomorrow they'd get a cool wash in the sun to cool off, but tiredness was creeping in and, as Deidara said, they had buckets to collect.

"So," Itachi said, sneaking up on Naruto and wrapping his arms around the blond as they exited the barn. "Looks like someone's going to wear some chaps and a hat eh?"

Naruto turned around in Itachi's grip and playful stuck his tongue out at him. "That was our deal and I agreed to honor it." He grinned. "Just tell me when you want your reward and I will happily give it to you."

He pressed a quick kiss to Itachi's cheek before walking towards the first glowing bucket, his fingers intertwined with Itachi's. His eyes danced as they approached the bucket and he picked it up without a word.

They moved to the next one, talking in hushed tones about the fun they had and some of the best hits that they had accomplished. When they reached the next bucket, Naruto handed it to Itachi and they headed back to the barn, enjoying the company.

Soft lights glowed from the barn as they came up on it and Naruto tugged on Itachi's wrist. The Uchiha came to a stop and turned around to look at him, about to ask why they had stopped.

With a grin, Naruto jiggled the bucket in his hand before bringing it up. In a quick movement, he tossed the excess water at Itachi, laughing at the failed attempt to dodge. In the darkness, Itachi glowed a bright orange and the rest of the color pooled at his feet.

For a moment, Itachi was shocked. He only just managed to keep hold of his own bucket and looked between it and Naruto for a moment. The blond was too busy laughing and Itachi dumped the contents of his bucket on Naruto, garish red seeping in strands through his hair and glowing down over his body.

"Glowing water was a fantastic idea, I'll admit." Itachi smirked, "And you look divine in red, does orange suit me?"

Itachi stuck a hand on one hip and looked off to the side, watching Naruto out of the corner of his eye. If the water didn't have the glowing paint in then there was no doubt they'd look awful, but there was something about glowing things that made everything better.

Naruto reached forward and pushed a glowing strand of hair behind Itachi's hair. "I think it suits you very well." He smiled and they walked back to the house where everyone was waiting.

Neji looked up as they stepped onto the porch and he gave a strained smile. "I see you two found the last two buckets."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, we'll drop them off in the barn tomorrow." He looked down at his clothes. "I'd give you a hug and thank you for coming to play with us on your Saturday night, but I'm soaked and don't want to get you any more wet."

Looking somewhat put out, Neji simply nodded. "I would've dried off eventually, but I'll take a rain check on that hug." He moved away from the porch and waved goodbye. "I'll see you Monday at the school barn, Naruto."

Sasuke grunted and handed them towels once Neji's car had vanished down the road. "Change before you come inside, I don't want that stuff inside the house. Put your wet clothes in the buckets for now."

"Spoilsport," Itachi whispered in Naruto's ear as Sasuke disappeared into the house, but he obliged, removing his top and dumping it in one of the buckets. "Is he always this uptight about the house?"

Itachi supposed that it was to be expected and anticipated Naruto's nod.

"When he was a little kid, he used to love organising things. I remember the time he rearranged our dad's office... ended up using an important stud book for doodling and causing the staff to go on high alert, thinking someone has stolen it so they could pick off the best of our horses." Itachi stepped out of his shoes, wincing at the slightly grainy ground on his feet.

Trousers were next and Itachi felt oddly exposed, standing out with his clothes in a bucket surrounded by a vast plain around them.

"It's beautiful," he whispered, turning to Naruto.

Naruto nodded and looked out at the darkened sky where all the stars were visible. He couldn't wait until the fall, when the harvest moon came out and lay low on the horizon, making it look as though you could just reach out and grab it.

He dropped his clothes into the bucket and wrapped the towel around his body, still glowing softly. The paint had seeped through to his skin and he tugged Itachi inside so they could shower.

They moved quietly through the house, even though everyone else was still awake and just laying in their rooms. The glowing continued when they entered his room and he stopped Itachi from turning on the lights.

He carefully guided them into the bathroom and turned on the water in the shower. His fingers felt for the edge of Itachi's towel and pulled at it until it fell to the floor with a soft thump. An unseen grin crossed his face as he stepped into the shower, pulling Itachi in with him.

Itachi looked down as he felt a hand on his waist, tugging him into the shower. Before he could say anything, the faucet turned on and Naruto adjusted the temperature of the water, sending small ripples of joy through Itachi as the warm water his his skin.

Naruto had his back to him at the moment and it only took a second to locate the shower gel. Itachi squirted a little onto Naruto's shoulders, rubbing the gel into soapy bubbles and over taunt muscles, kneading them as he cleansed.

Itachi's hair caught in the water, spilling from behind his back and into his eyes. He took a step back, allowing the spray to his Naruto's skin and wash the soap off, before he span the blond round, gel squirting into his hand and moving from the front of Naruto's shoulders downwards.

Naruto purred at the touches over his body and arched into the talented hands. He reached up and let his fingers run through Itachi's hair, combing out the knots and bringing Itachi's head closer.

He pressed his lips against Itachi's while his fingers moved down Itachi's back, pressing their bodies closer together. He moaned lightly into Itachi's mouth and just let himself feel. The warm water rushed over their bodies and rushed away the colors on them, leaving them as nothing but shadows in the dark.

Itachi tilted their heads slightly, pressing his lips harder to Naruto's. Water ran down their cheeks instead of down straight and breathing became easier.

As droplets cascaded around them, Itachi pressed against Naruto, seeking the human contact and warmth that no shower could ever match up to. Speckles of colour remained on the ground and Itachi noticed a fleck just to the right of Naruto's eye. He ended their kiss, moving slightly to trail his tongue on the spot, covering the orange fleck with his lips and kissing a path back down to Naruto's mouth.

The roar of the shower covered most sound, but Itachi could pick out the slight gasps of air, the noise of skin brushing against skin and the hitches of breath they both made. His fingers tightened their hold, digging into the flesh of Naruto's back.

Naruto hummed as he moved away from Itachi's mouth and left a trail of kisses on the pale chest. He stopped at a hardened nipple and covered it with his mouth, letting his tongue flicker over it.

He pushed Itachi back against the shower wall as he continued to suck at the nipple, pausing to run his teeth over it. A shiver ran through Itachi's body and Naruto moved to the other one, giving it the same attention.

The soft pants that left Itachi's mouth made him slide back up Itachi's body and he searched for the Uchiha's eyes in the darkened room. Their breath fanned over each other as they panted and Naruto let his fingers trail down Itachi's body.

Itachi's eyes met Naruto's and widened at the sheer emotion in them. He brushed a hand out, lightly stroking the skin of Naruto's cheeks before leaning forward, kissing each of Naruto's eyelids before trailing down the bridge of his nose.

Eyelashes tickled skin slightly, mingling with running water, as Itachi moved down, a hand trailing down one side as lips took the other. He passed a point on Naruto's neck and felt the blond cringe a little, evidently a ticklish spot.

The tiles were cool against Itachi's skin, yet slippery to the touch. Even if he'd wanted to, he wouldn't have been able to escape just yet, and it was clear that they weren't leaving here too soon.

A hand nestled into Itachi's hair and brought his head up a little, drawing lips together again. Itachi decided then that he wouldn't be able to live without kissing Naruto. There was an edge to their kisses, a wild addition that felt so alive, something Itachi had never felt at any point before.

The kiss deepened and Naruto felt himself drawing in Itachi's taste again. The smell of horses had been washed away long ago, but the touch was still there. Fingers calloused with working with leather and unpredictable animals ran over his body, giving testament to Itachi's work.

The touches were light and gentle, as though he was handling a skittish colt and he wanted more. He wanted to know all the touches, not just the gentle ones but the hard ones. Ones that would leave bruises the next morning, marking and branding him with his touch.

He shivered harshly, even though the water was still warm and he was pressed against Itachi's body. His fingers clutched at Itachi tighter and his mind screamed for Itachi to stay, knowing that they could have this everyday and every night.

He had fallen hard for Itachi, and fate, the cruel mistress that she was, would tear them apart soon.

Itachi's shoulders bunched as he wrapped his arms around Naruto, pulling him closer, tighter, nearer... anything just to get him to stay. The future was so uncertain, but he didn't want to talk about it. Talking wouldn't solve anything here... Itachi couldn't spend the rest of his life on this ranch and he couldn't expect Naruto to give up his ranch for Sussex.

He'd savour their time, learning every single bump, crease, wrinkle, muscle and hair that made up Naruto, so that when the time came, he had memories to tick over until he next saw him.

Just because they may be separated by an ocean was no reason for Itachi to give up. He'd return, time and time again if he had to. Despite not knowing Naruto for too long, he was sure he loved him. And love wasn't something the Uchiha family were known for giving buckets out in.

Tilting his head back as Naruto kissed him, Itachi moved his hands up the column of Naruto's back, eventually threading in blond hair and spiking the wet strands up.

"'Tachi," Naruto murmured into the kiss and tugged at Itachi's hair. The Uchiha slid down the wall, dragging them both down until they sat on the shower's floor in a tangled mess of limbs.

He gripped at Itachi tighter and felt hot tears prick at the edge of his eyes. Damn the ocean that had to separate them. Pushing his face into Itachi's neck, he tried to stop thinking. Itachi wasn't gone yet, he was still here and Naruto would enjoy every second of it until he left.

Water pooled around them as they sat on the floor, holding each other and desperately trying not to think of what could come. It was their time alone that was the hardest, together with mind's wandering and wanting to think about the future, wanting to plan things, except they couldn't.

Itachi desperately wanted to whisper how he felt, but what good would it do? Love couldn't combat oceans. It couldn't change time or family duties. It couldn't change their livelihoods, what they depended on... it couldn't change their responsibilities.

"Shall we go to bed?" he said instead, reaching up to turn the taps off, running a hand through his hair to get most of the excess water out.

Naruto nodded and stood up, wiping the water away from his face. He grabbed two fresh towels and passed one off to Itachi. They dried off and got ready for bed in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

Clicking the bathroom light off, the room was plunged into darkness once more and they crawled underneath the sheets. Naruto's arms immediately sought out Itachi's body, pulling himself closer to the Uchiha.

His arms wrapped around Itachi's chest while his legs tangled together with Itachi's, making sure that the older male didn't suddenly vanish in the middle of the night.

Itachi closed his eyes, making sure Naruto was wrapped up against him, keeping him close. He wouldn't be taken away by anything so long as Naruto was here.

Somewhere in the distance, an owl hooted, but neither of the men were awake to hear it.

**.**

A goat bleating could be heard as Itachi woke slowly, his mind wandering through where he could be. Naruto's face came into view and he placed the bleating as Lulu, apparently on wake-up call today.

Naruto was sleeping still, his face relaxed. Itachi let his eyes roam over his face, noticing the tiny, downy hairs over his cheeks and the slight parting of his lips.

A whinny sounded outside and Itachi tried to sit up to see what was going on. His leg caught slightly on Naruto's and he stiffened, not wanting to wake the blond. Instead Itachi settled in, burrowing in the covers and watching Naruto.

"Grab that hose!" Someone shouted from outside, obviously washing the horses. Naruto stirred for a brief moment and Itachi wondered if it had woken him up.

In the back of Naruto's mind, he heard the yelling but his mind refused to place it. He was content to stay where he was and just sleep. His body felt heavy and it called for sleep. Somewhere, he was aware that it was Sunday, which meant a day off with nothing but sleep and rest before the week started up again.

He was also aware of a comforting weight on his legs. The touch calmed him and he wiggled more into the source of warmth. The floor fan brushed his hair and it waved back and forth before his mind once more blanked and he lost himself to the warm person laying next to him.

Itachi could see Naruto's struggle to stay asleep and smiled. He didn't attempt to move again, lying still and changing his breathing to match Naruto's.

Finally heaving a sigh of annoyance, Naruto's eyes opened. He glared at the alarm clock that peeked over Itachi's stomach and stuck his tongue out at it. Not as though it was the clocks fault that he couldn't sleep in past eight, but still. Better to blame it on that clock than his internal one.

He pressed a kiss to Itachi's side before rubbing at his eyes. "Morning," he muttered, voice thick with sleep. "How'd you sleep?"

Itachi stretched a little. "Pleasantly," he said. "I have the feeling the horses are being seen to as we speak so maybe a leisurely breakfast is in order?"

Depending on what Naruto had in stock, they could have breakfast in bed. Toast, maybe some cereal, fruit, tea and juice... all in the comfort of the bed.

"I'm just going to get something," Itachi said, slipping out of bed with his plan in mind.

His journey to the kitchen was quick and preparing everything took a few minutes. It wasn't until everything was ready that Itachi realised he didn't have a tray to take it all up on and he looked around for one, finally locating a wooden one and piling everything up onto it.

Naruto looked up as the door opened and his stomach growled at the smell of food that drifted into the room. He was sprawled out on top of the covers and quickly sat up to make room for Itachi.

"It looks awesome," he muttered and crossed his legs as Itachi sat down. This was a first for him and he was glad that he was able to have his first breakfast in bed with Itachi. Like a picnic but inside, where the weather was just right.

He grabbed for a piece of toast that rested on a plate and took a bite, making sure that the crumbs didn't fall onto the bed. Leaning back a bit, he watched Itachi grab the food he wanted and swallowed. "What do you want to do today?"

Itachi spread some butter over his toast. "Well I'm making a roast later so I'll need to check you have everything I need and if you don't, I'll take a quick trip into town. Otherwise, I'm happy with whatever. It's a Sunday, nothing amazing happens on a Sunday."

Itachi shifted, watching the tray carefully as the bed shifted. He took two mugs from the tray, handing one to Naruto.

"I know you're not exactly a tea fan, but I made you some because... well it's what everyone has with breakfast at home. Or coffee... or hot chocolate... depending on the person..." Itachi trailed off. "Well you know I like tea, and I like you so... you'd make a good morning match."

Naruto laughed slightly but didn't argue with Itachi's logic; he liked it. He took a sip of the tea, licking the excess off his lips. It wasn't horrible and the taste could definitely grow on him.

Itachi was right though, nothing awesome happened on Sunday's. It was a day off that they used to relax. Sasuke would work on a sudoku puzzle or read while Naruto would catch up on shows that he might have missed during the week.

On the rare occasions, they'd go out to see a movie but it was crowded during those times and neither wanted to spend their time in a crowded movie theater. And shopping was always out of the question unless jeans or shirts needed replaced.

Today would probably be best spent inside, just enjoying each others company. It was too hot outside to do anything and why go in the sun when you can stay indoors.

"Shall we order up some movies on demand and just be lazy on the couch all day?" Naruto asked, and took another sip of his tea.

Itachi smirked, "It sounds like a fabulous plan to me. Maybe we can go for a ride later too, once the heat dies down." As silly as it sounded, Itachi missed the rain of England. There were patches where it may not rain for days or weeks, but then as soon as there was one grey day, the flood barriers were smashed and the rain came down. He loved the Texan climate, but knew that he'd miss the rain.

If they did buy the ranch, Itachi would have to convince Naruto to come over to England a few times, perhaps as their 'holiday'. Naruto would love it, the Sussex Downs and various woods they could go to...

He had to stop this. Dreaming of a future that might not happen was bad and would only end up in disappointment and heartbreak. Instead he needed to focus on now, which meant their lazy Sunday.

Naruto nodded and leaned back on the bed with a piece of fruit in his hand. He popped the piece into his mouth and chewed slowly, savoring the flavor. It tasted better when he could eat it in bed, he decided. The thought seemed silly but he still couldn't stop himself from thinking it.

"Tomorrow night," he spoke up softly. "It's going to be a full moon. Would you want to have a midnight picnic?" He played with the edge of the pillowcase, hoping that he didn't sound too girly.

Itachi swallowed the mouthful of tea he had just taken and nodded, smiling a little. "I would love to. We can make it a proper picnic with a rug and a hamper... if you don't have a hamper we can just get something else of course." Itachi paused, taking a breath.

"I'd really love to," he summed up, leaning over to kiss Naruto's shoulder, stealing a piece of the blonde's fruit and popping it in his mouth.

"Good," Naruto muttered and reached up to lace his fingers through Itachi's hair. The rest of breakfast could wait while he enjoyed Itachi. He kissed up Itachi's neck, feeling the little stubble's on his chin prickling against his lips.

He'd grill out then Monday night, cook up some ribs and then use the leftovers for the picnic. Ribs were messy and the sauce got everywhere, perfect for sneaking a taste off someones mouth when they weren't expecting it.

Itachi sighed into their kiss, thinking about the next night. Tonight, as tradition had it, they'd be with the 'family', everyone coming together to eat a proper Sunday roast. Tomorrow, though, it would be just him and Naruto, feasting under a full moon.

Hideously sappy and romantic, but it sent chilled pleasure all over Itachi.

As they broke apart, Itachi said, "I almost wish it was tomorrow night now."

Naruto hummed in agreement. Tomorrow night would be wonderful. But for now, it was still Sunday and they had to make it through this day first.

He leaned forward and picked up another piece of fruit. Dinner tonight was going to be good too. Any type of roast made Naruto drool at the thought and after tasting Itachi's cooking the other night, he couldn't wait to try a roast made by Itachi.

They finished up breakfast and cleared away the dishes before getting ready for the day. As much as they liked, they couldn't spend the whole day in his bedroom.

They took the plates downstairs before returning to the bathroom, brushing teeth, washing and changing. Afterwards, Itachi followed Naruto to the barn, greeting Sasuke, Kisame and Deidara as they passed them.

"We've done Rena, Chidori, Graphite and Wichita so far. We thought you two could take Kyuubi and Susanoo," Kisame said, passing a grooming brush to Itachi. He took the soapy bristles in his hand and nodded.

"Shall we do 'Noo first? She's a bit bigger so requires more effort than Kyuubi," he asked Naruto.

"Sounds good," Naruto said. "Kyuubi loves taking bath's."

With the thought in mind, they led Susanoo to the wash rack and Naruto held the hose at the ready. He wasn't sure if the mare liked taking bath's and decided to follow Itachi's lead. At the most, they would end up soaked which would be a welcoming relief to the heat.

Half an hour later, Susanoo was clean and they were slightly wet from when she had grabbed the hose and tried to give them a bath. She looked innocent after she dropped the hose on the ground and stood still, ready to be rinsed off.

Laughing at how they looked, Naruto brought Kyuubi out who was prancing around as they came up to the wash rack. Naruto had an idea they'd be soaked after finishing with the stallion.

Itachi could see the excitement growing in Kyuubi as he raised the hosepipe, dribbling water onto the chestnut's legs. With a whinny, Kyuubi shifted his legs, bobbing his head up and down.

A while later, when he was soaked through, Kyuubi snorted, shaking his whole body and spraying both Itachi and Naruto with droplets of water. They laughed at his antics, knowing that he'd shake himself again if they didn't hurry up.

They returned Kyuubi to his box when he was finished and began packing up, noting that the sun was creeping ever higher. Heat rolled from above and Itachi felt a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead.

Wiping a hand over his face, Naruto glanced up at the sun. It was too hot and the couch was calling their names. It was time for movies and lunch. Itachi would want to start making dinner and there was a chance that they needed to run to the store to pick up some more food.

Either way, until it was time to feed the horses again at dinner, they wouldn't be doing much else. And that was the way Naruto wanted it.

Cool air rushed over them as they entered the house and Naruto instantly sighed as his shoulders relaxed. He moved to the kitchen where a pitcher of lemonade was waiting for him. Pouring a glass, he held it up and grinned at Itachi. "Movie time!"

Itachi took the glass happily, gulping down a few mouthfuls of lemonade before taking a deep breath, licking his lips. It was a welcome return to the house.

They settled down on the sofa, the pitcher of lemonade and glasses going on the floor.

"What are we going to watch?" Itachi asked, his attention wavering as Axel poked his head around the door, tongue lolling from his mouth and ears pricked.

Stealthily, the dog crept into the room, watching Naruto and making sure that the blonde's attention was fixed on something else. Itachi watched as Axel quietly padded over to him, resting his front paws on the sofa cushion before heaving himself up, resting a head on Itachi as he hunkered down, prepared to watch the movie too.

Naruto leaned over and scratched Axel's head before clicking the TV. He wasn't sure what they'd watch and started to scroll through the listing. He grinned when he saw that Shrek was playing and slumped down on the sofa.

"Is this okay for starters?" He asked and smiled when Itachi nodded.

He crashed against Itachi's shoulder and leaned back into the cushions more as the movie started. A tongue flicked against his fingers as Axel asked for more attention which he gladly gave.

"I love this film," Itachi admitted to Naruto, snuggling sideways a little before wrapping an arm around the blond. His warm body was a welcome addition for the movie experience and a small smile crossed Itachi's lips.

"I think the second's one of my favourites too. You just can't beat a good fairytale, and the fact that this isn't your run-of-the-mill story." Itachi paused, "Plus the soundtrack is good. For all of the films."

They watched in silence for a while, chuckling appropriately at the slightly adult humour.

When the movie finished, Naruto scrolled through the listings while Itachi stood up to start dinner. He came back with a bag of chips as Naruto selected the next movie with a grin.

"Black Beauty. They didn't have The Black Stallion on and I figured something horse-y would work."

They snuggled back together with the bag resting between their bodies and their fingers brushed against each other occasionally as they reached for the chips.

Naruto nibbled his lip lightly, knowing that one part of the movie would honestly make him cry. It wasn't his fault that the mare looked almost like Kyuubi and he about bawled every time he thought of his horse being put through something like that.

As they watched Black Beauty's life unfold, Itachi found both Naruto and himself tensing as Beauty saw Ginger once more, knowing that the worst part was to come. To see such cruelty of cab horses, knowing that it happened was terrible, but the first person narration didn't help either.

Every time Itachi promised himself he wouldn't tear up and every time he failed to keep that promise. When Beauty saw Ginger's body on the cart, he couldn't help it. He sniffed, mouth tightening as he contained the tears. Sure it wasn't manly to cry at Black Beauty, but that didn't bother Itachi. Who needed manly anyway?

He could feel Naruto shaking slightly and knew that he wasn't the only one trying not to cry. He pulled Naruto a little closer, cuddling up more and sniffing again.

Naruto leaned into the warmth, cursing himself for crying again, but at least this time he wasn't alone in it. Sasuke liked to leave before this part of the movie came up and mysteriously vanished until it had passed.

Any horse owner would find themselves crying and he wiped away the wetness that had formed once the part had passed. Tonight, he'd slip a few extra carrots to Kyuubi and Wichita, along with some extra pats and kisses.

As the movie drew to a close, the smell of dinner started to fill the house and Naruto's stomach growled. He was in a better mood with the ending and he could feel Itachi relaxing as well.

The credits rolled over the screen and Naruto let his body flop down on the couch. His legs sprawled over Itachi's lap and he tugged at his sleeve, urging him to lay down too until the roast was done.

Itachi shifted on the sofa cushions, wiggling a little before they were settled comfortably. Axel had left a while ago, thankfully, and so he didn't have to worry about kicking Naruto's dog.

Once they had snuggled in comfortably, Itachi kissed Naruto gently, wanting to stay huddled up forever.

"Can we just stay here? Melt into the sofa? Maybe we can hop out to scare Sasuke or the others from time to time." Itachi was smiling, an eyebrow raised as he made his proposition.

Naruto grinned and leaned his head against the pillow. "I like that idea. So long as we don't scar him too badly. I don't want to loose my work partner or make it so your brother can't look at you without blushing."

The thought though was highly amusing. Even if they weren't doing anything but laying here, Sasuke would obviously think of something else.

His eyes closed and he felt Itachi rest his head on his chest. Bringing his arms up, they circled around Itachi's back and held up close while the urge to nap took over his body.

Itachi sighed softly, closing his eyes. They hadn't done anything much today and yet he felt like sleeping here with Naruto. Admittedly he wasn't needed for the roast cooking, that duty falling to Kisame. Itachi tended to drift from the roast, forgetting the meat in the oven and remembering at the last moment, generally letting it become a little on the tough side.

"Kisame will take care of dinner, I think that's enough time to burrow into the sofa. Plus a little bit of mental scarring will do Sasuke good. Haven't been around to do much of it the past few years."

"Good," Naruto muttered softly. He pressed a kiss to Itachi's head before letting his body relax into the sofa. Itachi was a comforting weight and he clung to him tighter, not willing to let him go.

Minutes slipped away and blurred together as the smell of dinner floated throughout the rest of the house. It called the others downstairs and Sasuke nearly bolted into the kitchen at the thought of roast.

He paused in the hallway when he realized no one was in the kitchen and backtracked into the living room where the TV was still on. No one was there either and he glanced over the back of the sofa and felt his eyebrow twitch.

"Will you two stop cuddling in the most public of places?" he yelled and kicked the sofa. He grunted in pain and massaged the hurt toes.

Itachi looked up innocently, the expression mirrored on Naruto's face.

"Technically it's not that public. Naruto is the homeowner and is allowed to do whatever he wants wherever he wants." Itachi shrugged his shoulders a little, smiling to Naruto as he burrowed back down into the sofa.

There was something wonderful in annoying little brothers that couldn't be replaced. It was a smugness that burrowed down inside, but leaving the arrogance behind in good nature.

"Hows the foot?" Itachi asked innocently, knowing that stubbed toes hurt more than gaping wounds, or at least it was the general feeling as it happened.

Sasuke huffed. "I should get the fucking water bottle again."

Naruto's head shot up, almost colliding with Itachi's. Fear etched into his eyes and he shook his head. "You said you burned that thing."

With a grin, Sasuke vanished into the kitchen with his last parting words. "Maybe, you never really know."

It was a bluff really, Sasuke wouldn't do that to them. As much as he hated walking in on them acting all lovey and kissy faced, it was still a pleasant change to see Itachi happy and Naruto even more happy and relaxed.

He wouldn't ruin it for them, so long as they kept most of it innocent touches. He didn't want to stumble in on them having sex on the living room couch. He'd spray them with the hose if that happened.

Kisame padded into the kitchen and nodded to him as he went to check the roast. Sasuke nodded back and pulled out some tomatoes and popped them in his mouth, hoping that they'd tie him over until dinner.

Itachi and Naruto settled in for a little more cuddling before dinner. It wouldn't be too long now and they could hear the sounds of food coming together, being dished up and cutlery set out.

"We should probably go help set up," he said regretfully, sighing as they untangled their limbs. "The beef will be resting about now as the rest is dished up and gathering everyone may take a while."

They headed to the kitchen, asking Kisame if there was anything to do at the moment. He asked for them to join Sasuke in setting up the table, getting glasses and a pitcher to fill with iced water. Deidara hovered at one end of the kitchen, by the sink, straining vegetables.

Naruto joined Sasuke at the table while Itachi got the glasses ready. It didn't take them long to get everything set and by the time everyone sat down, Naruto's stomach was growling loudly at him.

It had been a while since they had a roast and he couldn't wait to have some. No doubt they'd have extras once everyone had finished and then they could store some away for left overs.

Kisame set the last plate down and announced that they could start eating, making Naruto wait impatiently an open dish.

Everyone began serving themselves, taking from broccoli, carrots, cabbage, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and sliced beef. Itachi loaded his plate up before picking up a gravy boat, generously helping himself.

"Anyone want gravy while I have it?" he asked, holding the boat out in front of him.

"Yeah, just pour it all over," Deidara said, licking something from his fingers. "Ah, that's enough, thanks!"

The gravy was set back down and Itachi waited for everyone else to gather their food before tucking in. Everything was cooked nicely and it was heaven. Itachi hadn't eaten a roast in a few weeks, not being in England and over in Kentucky training for the Games. They had roasts every Sunday back home and it was good to lapse back into tradition.

He looked over to Naruto to see if the blond was enjoying it.

Taking a bite into the meat, Naruto hummed happily as it fell apart in his mouth. It was nice and tender with delicious taste. He was tempted to kidnap Kisame too and have him stay to cook for them more often.

He worked to steady himself and not shove all the food down his throat, eating causally and enjoying the taste. It was nice to have the dinner table full when it was usually just the two of them if they had time. He could get used to this.

"Kisame, this is wonderful," Naruto praised and couldn't stop himself from shoving another piece of food into his mouth. At this rate they wouldn't have enough food for left overs. Slightly upsetting but at the same time, it was still too good to want to stop.

Kisame chuckled, "When you're part of an extended family as large as ours, you tend to make a lot of roasts. Especially when you have some people who get picky about what they will and won't eat."

Itachi nodded, "I'm not sure if you remember, but dad's eating habits have only gotten worse. He hates 99 percent of things and the other 1 percent has to be be perfection or he'll moan for the rest of the evening." His words were directed at Sasuke, who snorted.

They finished dinner slowly, talking about nothing and everything, enjoying the time together. It was the first of (hopefully) many Sunday roasts that Itachi would have in America and he planned it to be a long-lasting tradition.

Once dinner was over and all the dishes put away, they headed out to the barn to take care of the horses one last time before bed. Storm clouds were gathering in the south and Kyuubi's ears perked as Naruto slipped him an extra piece of carrot.

"It's going to rain either tonight or tomorrow," Naruto said as he moved away from the stallion and walked down to see Wichita. The horse looked at him with a calm expression, not at all anxious over the weather.

In the stable over, Itachi smiled at Susanoo, stroking her. He pulled a packet of polos out, eating one himself before treating her.

"Good," he said, in answer to Naruto's weather forecasting. "Haven't seen rain in a while and I'm slightly missing it."

Susanoo crunched the mint, snorting lightly. She wouldn't be bothered at all if the weather took a turn for the worst.

Itachi moved to Wichita and offered the gelding a mint, seeking permission from Naruto first. He could feel Susanoo's disgruntled stare at her polos being given out, but ignored her, also going to give one to the other horses in the barn.

"Shall we go for a ride before it rains?" Naruto asked, stealing a mint from Itachi. He tossed it into his mouth and sucked on it. He grinned at Itachi as Wichita poked his head out and stared at the Uchiha too, asking for a chance to go riding.

No one could resist the bay's questioning gaze and he bobbed his head, seeking agreement. Naruto chuckled and patted Wichita's neck as Itachi agreed, even though Naruto had a sneaky suspicion that Itachi would've said yes anyway without the horse's help.

"I'll go grab Susanoo's bridle... bareback yeah?" Itachi saw Naruto nod and smiled. Bareback was always fun.

They tacked the horses up, leading them out of the barn and into the evening. A few stars had poked out from behind clouds and Itachi looked up at them as he mounted, settling on Susanoo.

"Where abouts shall we go?" he asked, looking around to locate the moon. Naruto had said it was a full moon tomorrow, which meant it would be quite large tonight. He was looking forward to riding alone with Naruto again, not really having the chance the night before other than battling him.

"How about we just ride around the edge of the property. We'll get some flat lands and woods along the way," Naruto suggested. It would also give him a chance to see the land next door to see if the 'for sale' was still up.

They walked along the fence line in silence, enjoying the cool breeze that the upcoming storm brought. The cattle were bunched together in the corner of the field and bellowed at the clouds, as though they were asking for the rain to hurry up and come now.

The rain stayed away though and the horses moved into an easy trot. They trotted by the next door property and Naruto sighed happily when he spotted the red sales sign still at the front of the road. No one would be out looking at for a while if they got a lot of rain.

Naruto only hoped that the rain would hold off until the cattle were loaded on the trailer tomorrow. The calves liked to balk when they were muddy and it was still raining. He wasn't sure why, but Naruto suspected that they just wanted to roll around more when the ground was muddy.

"What time do you think you'll be taking the calves over?" Itachi asked.

Naruto turned on Wichita and considered Itachi's question. "About 8 or 9 in the morning," he said after a moment's pause.

"If you need help with anything, just ask. I'll probably be useless, but sometimes extra hands make light work." Itachi felt a little awkward offering his help. He knew bare basics about cattle, but he wanted Naruto to know the help was there if he needed it.

"And while you're out, I'll train Susanoo up a bit. She's had a few days' rest, but we'll have to get back up to training her soon." Susanoo needed to get back into a regular training regime if she was to keep up the level of fitness that had won her second in the FEI games.

Naruto grinned. "If its raining, I'll probably ask for your help. I'm hoping that the rain will stay away until a little bit later tomorrow. Or at least until I get the calves into the trailer." They moved into a canter and Naruto glanced at Itachi again. "I'll pick us up something for lunch, since it'll be around noon by the time I get back."

He appreciated the offer of help. Sasuke would be gone after the morning feed. He was doing an errand run to pick up feed and other supplies that they were running low on. He wouldn't get back until later that day.

The younger Uchiha had mentioned at dinner that someone had emailed him about looking at a bull. It was for sale since the old couple couldn't take care of it anymore for their grandson and wanted it gone. It was on the other side of town but it was worth looking at if the picture they had sent was accurate.

Itachi nodded, "That'll be nice. And maybe I'll finally get to unpack! I realised today that I'm still living out of suitcases." Itachi chuckled, "It's nice to be lazy sometimes."

They rode on a little more before turning around and heading back. It gave Itachi the chance to inspect the property next door more and each time he looked at it, he fell more in love. It would be perfect.

The horses were cooled down by the time they reached the stable and after checking over them one last time, it was time to head inside. The wind had stopped and the air was growing humid now that the wind was gone. It seemed like the storm had stalled to the south and would either fade away or come back stronger later on.

Inside, the air was running and helped to keep away the thick humidity. Sasuke was sitting on the couch, staring at the TV where the Weather Channel was playing. He looked fidgety and Naruto wondered if it was because of the delayed storm.

"We're going to bed," he told Sasuke who simply nodded at them and wished them a good night.

Itachi detoured to the kitchen where Kisame sat alone with some papers, a mug of tea in his hand.

"Night," he said, drawing his friend's attention.

"Night Itachi. Deidara's already in bed and I'll be going to sleep shortly. Just wanted to check through a few papers, that's all."

Itachi nodded, heading upstairs after giving Axel a quick stroke. He changed into sleeping wear and quickly brushed his teeth, smiling as he met Naruto in the bathroom.

They returned to Naruto's room together, too tired to do much else than snuggle under the covers, the fan whirling despite the slight cool as the storm lingered around.

"See you in the morning," Itachi said.

"Night," Naruto muttered and curled into Itachi's chest and let sleep over take him.

**.**

When the alarm went off the next morning, Naruto groaned lowly. He stumbled out of bed and stubbed his toe on the door frame to the bathroom. Cursing the wood, he quickly got ready to go and met Sasuke downstairs.

They were running early so he grabbed his bowl of cereal and took it out to the porch, expecting cool air from the still lingering storm. He gagged when the humidity hit him and he returned inside where it was easier to breathe.

"Fuck it's humid outside," he stated and dropped onto a chair. "Better grab some extra waters to be on the safe side. Even if its cloudy, still gonna sweat like crazy."

Sasuke nodded and they finished up breakfast in silence before heading outside. They fed the horses before moving through chores quickly, wanting to finish quickly in the stifling air.

Itachi woke up a little while after Naruto left, opening his eyes blearily and stretching out. He stood up and dressed for the day, making a trip to the bathroom before heading downstairs for something to eat.

He missed Naruto and Sasuke, but saw them working outside and decided not to bother them. They had a lot on their plate today as it was important they get the calves off and Itachi didn't want to ruin anything.

Deidara wandered in, hair messy and sleeping clothes still on. His first stop was the kettle and he poured some instant coffee and milk into a mug, waiting for the hot water.

"Morning," he said sleepily once his coffee was done, joining Itachi at the table and eyeing the Uchiha's cereal. "I'll come feed Susanoo with you if you'd like. Kisame's snoring enough to put an elephant to shame so there's no way I'm going back to sleep."

Itachi swallowed his mouthful of cereal and bobbed his head.

Naruto had just finished saddling up Kyuubi as Itachi and Deidara walked into the barn. He greeted them with a smile and unhooked the stallion from his ties. Outside, he could see Sasuke attaching the trailer to the truck and backing it up to the holding pen.

He waved to Naruto, signaling that he was going to leave and climbed into his own truck. Naruto nodded to him, along with Itachi and Deidara before the truck vanished down the road.

"Morning," he said and next to him, Kyuubi bobbed his head. The stallion was ready to get out and work today, even though it wasn't going to be much. If all went well, the calves would load properly from the chutes, but Kyuubi was going to be there just in case.

"Good morning," Itachi greeted, moving to Kyuubi and Naruto. He greeted the chestnut as well, patting his neck gently. "I guess we'll see you later then. Good luck with the calves and maybe see you later?"

Itachi wasn't sure if they'd see Naruto before he left so he wanted to wish him the best of luck with the livestock now. Naruto smiled in return, thanking Itachi.

"Have a good day," Itachi said, kissing Naruto's cheek gently and pulling away with a small smile.

"Thanks," Naruto said happily and gave Itachi a kiss of his own. "Have a good time trying with Susanoo. Hopefully the rain will hold out for us both."

He walked away with one last wave to them and mounted up. He'd check on the herd first before tending to the selected calves. Morning rides with Kyuubi into the fields were always pleasant. The cattle parted to let them past and Naruto scanned over them, making sure that no injuries had occurred during the night.

After making sure that none of the cattle were injured, Kyuubi trotted over to the holding pen where the the calves bellowed at him. Naruto dismounted and opened the trailer doors before working the gate and chute.

The calves looked at him for a second before slowly walking forward through the opening that had been created and into the trailer. Kyuubi stood next to the fence, watching the young animals pass by.

Once they were loaded up, Naruto shut the doors and locked them tight. He led Kyuubi to an open field and untacked him. He'd let the stallion run around today, no need to keep him inside his stall all day.

With a sigh, Naruto walked back to the truck and watched as Itachi led Susanoo away from the barn. The mare looked eager to ride today and Naruto hoped that the rain held out long enough for them to do that.

Itachi could see Naruto climbing into his truck and he waved, unsure whether the blond would see. Even if he didn't, it didn't matter too much. They'd have a nice evening together later, once business was out of the way.

Deidara followed at his own pace and Itachi checked a field before entering it, making sure that no cattle were in. Deidara perched on a fence, watching Itachi warm up before calling out some basic drills in dressage, evaluating Susanoo's progress.

They trained for a while, returning Susanoo to the barn and heading inside the house to see if Kisame was up and about yet. He was in the lounge, flicking through weather reports, and tilted his head up to greet Itachi and Deidara.

"Looks like pretty horrible weather coming up."

Itachi hoped the weather would be alright for their picnic later. If not, he was sure Naruto had a back up plan, maybe one of the barns?

"Oh I think someone's back," Kisame said and Itachi agreed, hearing the slam of heavy doors and the cut of a loud motor.

His mood changed instantly when he heard the whinnying of a horse and frowned. Was something wrong with the horses?

There was a knock on the door and Deidara went over to answer it since he was closest to the door. It swung open easily and the blond blinked at the man standing on the other side of the door. His black suit looked stuffy and constricting on his body and it took a few seconds before his mind connected with the person in front of him.

Before he could slam the door shut, a pale hand wrapped around his wrist and yanked him outside and into the hands of another person. Seeing that the blond was secured and being dragged off into the waiting van, the suit clad male stepped inside the house.

His eyes settled on the two other people in the room and he grunted. "Time to go home Uchiha," he rasped and strode forward, his arm wrapping around Itachi's upper arm. He hauled him up. "Your uncle is expecting you home in the morning."

Itachi stood up quickly, Kisame dropping the remote and following suit.

"Excuse me?" Itachi said, outraged that this man had just barged into someone's home, assaulted his friend and demanded something ridiculous.

The man brushed an invisible piece of dirt off of his suit jacket, tilting his head up a little and looking down on Itachi.

"You were supposed to be home last week and your uncle isn't happy. We've come to get you and you're going now."

Itachi frowned. This man was one of his uncle's-only direct employees. He was a ruthless man, an amazing tracker and Itachi swore he used to be in a gang. Zetsu was not someone to trifle with, but there was no way Itachi was going to up and leave.

"And if I refuse?" he asked coldly.

Zetsu tilted his head. "Step outside a moment and I'll explain."

**.**

Itachi's frown deepened as he walked outside, Kisame flanking him quietly. They exited the house, noticing the rope and headcollar that had been tied to Lulu so that she couldn't interfere. She watched with wide eyes, unsure what was happening.

Itachi then looked over to the barn, where the horses where neighing in an unsettled manner. His heart dropped when he saw a burly man, tugging the lead rope to Susanoo's headcollar harshly.

"Let go of my horse!" he demanded angrily, taking a step forward.

Zetsu stopped him, pushing him back and shaking his head. "Your adventure's gone on long enough now Itachi. It's time to come home and put this behind you. You wouldn't want to hurt your horse would you?"

Kisame stiffened and that was how Itachi knew what Zetsu had said was a veiled threat. He shook his head, never wanting harm to Susanoo, before making his way over.

"It's okay, 'Noo," he reassured, stroking his horse's head and whispering to her. Her nostrils flared and she calmed down, letting the men load her into the horsebox that had evidently been Zetsu's way of travel.

"Go get your bags, we'll sort out the things in the barn. You better be back here in five minutes."

Zetsu nodded for them to leave and Itachi ran into the house, nervous by the time he'd have to spend away from Susanoo. If they did anything to her, and he was sure they wouldn't feel any regret for it, he'd kill them.

Zetsu stood in the doorway, watching over both the barn and the house. Inside the barn, his men were gathering up all the equipment that belonged to the Uchiha. He glanced at his watch, noting the time and then turned to sneer at the goat.

It bleated at him and struggled to get free. They'd let her go once they left, but for now she'd stay there and out of their way.

The tack was dropped outside the horse trailer and Zetsu walked over to Deidara who was glaring at him from inside one of the spare cars they had brought with them. "Start packing that stuff up and get that animal ready to travel.

"And if I don't?" Deidara growled.

Zetsu smirked coldly. "I'll burn this house and the barn down to the ground. Animals or not, everything will be gone."

Deidara paled and moved over to the pile of tack, quickly starting to sort through everything. He pulled out the travel gear for the mare and started to wrap her legs, muttering under his breath and shooting glares at the man.

"One minute!" Zetsu hollered into the house.

Itachi heard the call and turned to Kisame, his own suitcase out in the hall and helping his friend to pack up Deidara's stuff as well.

"Fuck it's like a cheesy, low-budget film," Kisame muttered, even though Zetsu wouldn't be able to hear them. Itachi let a smile flicker onto his face, worry replacing any possibility of humour.

"Come on, let's go," Itachi muttered, heaving a bag onto his shoulders and dragging his suitcase behind him. Not only did Zetsu have Susanoo, but he also had Deidara. If they didn't do what he wanted, either of them could be hurt and it would be Itachi's fault.

He hated Madara. Madara, who couldn't let things go. Madara who was so warped in his head that the world had to revolve around him.

"About time," Zetsu said darkly, jerking his head at the two 'assistants' he had.

"One of you gets in the horsebox they brought with Kisame. You'll follow us. Itachi's going to be riding with me in out box and the other one of you will go in the other car with Deidara. I don't want them together, I just want to get them back to bloody England." Zetsu moved off to the cars, letting the others deal with baggage and 'passengers'.

Deidara looked up as Kisame dropped next to him, helping him wrap Susanoo's legs. He shot him a look, trying to get a better feel for the whole situation but Kisame shook his head. They weren't getting out of this, Madara had won.

From the cars, Zetsu watched them carefully as everything was loaded up and finally the passengers were seated in the correct cars. He nodded and walked back inside the house, wanting to make sure that nothing had been left.

He scoffed as he passed by the disgraced Uchiha's room and held back on the urge to go inside and wreck everything. Instead, he moved to the last two rooms where they had more than likely been staying.

The guest room was neat and in order, as it should be and he moved to the last room. He looked around, making sure that nothing had been left over. Once he deemed the rooms clean enough, he made his way back downstairs and out to the porch.

Shutting the door behind him, he untied the goat and walked out to the cars. The small animal knew better than to charge after him, even though her legs trembled with the desire to do so.

"Airport." He said to the drivers and without another word, the cars took off down the bumpy road.

As the ranch twisted out of view, Itachi grit his teeth bitterly. When he got back home, he'd email Naruto. He'd explain the situation, with a million apologies, and get the first flight possible back. He'd make sure Susanoo was with him, as well as possibly moving a few of his other horses over, not being able to trust his uncle anymore.

What kind of person would do something like this? Well, Madara obviously, but to go to the lengths to threaten someone? It was disgusting.

It seemed like forever, but the clock only showed than an hour had passed before the airport came into view, the drivers taking them a more private route. It figured that Madara had organised a private horse carrier and, sure enough, the Uchiha's family emblem sat proudly on the plane they were to take.

"We'll land at Gatwick after a 9 hour flight." Itachi knew that their transport would be shipped in another plane, one more suitable for vehicles. "We have a horsebox and cars waiting for us there to take us back to Sussex, where you," Zetsu pointed at Itachi, "We'll go and talk with your uncle right away."

Itachi looked down, unable to meet his friend's eyes. They would both say it was okay, but Deidara was still tied up and Kisame looked exhausted. He'd hurt them, Madara had hurt them, and there was nothing he could do.

Everything was loaded onto the plane, including Susanoo. Itachi took one last look at the landscape, wishing that he could have had just one more night, one evening just to say goodbye to Naruto at least. It was snatched away now and something hit his face, streaking down his cheeks.

The rain had broken at last, pouring down and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. Itachi knew it would most likely be raining back in England but, for once, he wasn't excited about it, preferring the rain he was leaving to the one he would be returning to.

**.**

Naruto cursed slightly as the rain started to beat down harder and forks of lightning flashed across the sky. He had tried to call home to see if Itachi could bring in Kyuubi, but no one answered. Either they were out there already or they felt a little odd answering someone else's phone.

Either way, he sped up down the road and heaved a sigh as the barn came into view. He could see Kyuubi running up and down along the fence line, head held high in the rain. Naruto couldn't tell if the stallion was excited or frightened right now.

He parked the truck and quickly ran out to the field where Kyuubi trotted over to see him. He ran a soothing hand over the soaked coat and looked around, wondering why Itachi hadn't bothered to bring the stallion back in. They got along fine so Kyuubi shouldn't have been a problem.

"Let's get you inside boy," he muttered.

Once inside, he dried the stallion off and went to check on the other horses. They seemed highly strung from the storm, more so than usual. They paced their stalls and Naruto wondered if the storm was going to get worse.

He paused outside Susanoo's stall and blinked when an empty one greeted him. Was Itachi still outside in the storm? Fear mounted in his chest and he ran inside to see if Deidara or Kisame knew but only the silence of the house was there.

"Itachi?" he called out and a clap of thunder answered his call. "Deidara, Kisame?"

The house was quiet with only the pounding of rain on the roof and the bleating of Lulu responding to his call. Dripping water, he climbed the steps, taking two at a time until he was on the second story and standing in front of his room.

He twisted the door handle and found the room empty. As he walked inside, he quickly realized that all of Itachi's belongings were gone and he shook his head, backing out of the room.

His wet feet slipped under him as he ran to check the other room and found it empty as well, looking as though no one had ever been using it. Panic welled up inside Naruto, clawing at his throat and making it hard to breathe.

Maybe they had run into town for something and needed to bring their clothes with them. Perhaps to do laundry or donate them for some reason. Naruto backed against the wall outside of his room and slid down until he hit the ground.

That had to be the reason because Itachi wouldn't just leave. Not without saying goodbye. Not like this. He drew his knees up to his chest and hugged them tightly, burying his face into the wet fabric, trying had not to cry.

Sasuke pulled up the truck and noticed Naruto was back. The weather was awful now and he frowned. None of the lights were on inside and there were no flickerings of candle light... what the hell was Naruto doing? It was growing darker by the second, was he just sitting there in the dark?

With an annoyed sigh, Sasuke locked his truck and entered the house. It was eerily silent and he wondered where everyone was. They wouldn't have left the ranch unattended unless it was an emergency, and even then they'd have told Sasuke they were going.

He was about to call out when he heard someone sobbing and he ran in the direction of the sound, afraid that someone had hurt themselves. He found Naruto, curled up on himself, holding back a barrage of tears. What the fuck had happened in the few hours he'd been out?

"Naruto?" he called softly, approaching his friend as one would a wild horse, slowly and gently. "What's wrong? Are you hurt? Did something happen?"

And, for that matter, where the hell were the others? What on earth were they doing that was so important they just ignored Naruto?

"They're gone, Sasuke." Naruto murmured, pain seeping through his voice. "I kept waiting and hoping that they'd come back from town or something but they haven't."

Sasuke blinked and looked down at Naruto who was in damp clothes. He hauled Naruto up and dragged him to his bathroom so he could get the wet clothes off him. "Who's gone, Naruto? The calves? We knew that they'd be gone." He tried to make a joke, hoping that's what Naruto was upset about but he had a feeling it wasn't.

"Itachi," Naruto answered and his body started to shake with the chills. "They're all gone. Itachi, Deidara, Susanoo, and Kisame. I can't find them anywhere and all their stuff is gone."

Leaning back, Sasuke glanced into Naruto's room, realizing that all of Itachi's items were gone. He turned back to Naruto and watched as emotions flickered across Naruto's face and were reflected in his blue eyes.

He grabbed Naruto's shoulders harshly and shook them. "Don't think that, whatever you're thinking don't. Itachi wasn't playing with you, I know that. He, he..." Sasuke trailed off, not sure how to finish his sentence.

Truth was, he didn't know why Itachi had left. They'd all seemed so happy last night and for the past few days. It wasn't like he'd lost the water fight either.

Sasuke looked down as Naruto pushed at his chest. "Let me go, Sasuke. I just want to be alone right now." He looked up, knowing that Sasuke would object. "Please. You can pester me all you want tomorrow but right now I just want to be alone."

Dark eyes regarded him before finally nodding. Sasuke stood up and left the room, shutting the door behind him. It was late and he still had to do chores to do despite the storm. He'd check on Naruto once he was done and decide what to do then.

Once the door was shut, Naruto pulled off his wet clothes and dried off. Every movement took too much effort and he shuffled over to the bed. He looked down at it before dropping onto the mattress and crawling under the sheets.

He buried his face into the pillow that Itachi had used and finally let the tears fall.

**.**

They touched down at Gatwick and Itachi was handed a clothes hanger, suit inside of the zipper protector.

"I won't have you looking like some country bumpkin, go change," Zetsu said coldly, smoothing out the wrinkles in his suit.

Knowing that it would be fruitless to do anything until he saw Madara.

"We'll go on ahead," Zetsu continued, watching as Itachi went into the toilet, glad for once of the flamboyance of his family. The toilet was spacious, enough that Itachi could dress in the suit, and he emerged out barefooted.

"I don't have shoes," he said stonily, watching as Zetsu gritted his jaw in annoyance. Just because they had to come home didn't mean that they had to be polite about it.

"Where are the fucking shoes?" Zetsu said, looking around to one of his henchmen. Immediately, the man pulled out a shoe box, handing it to Itachi and backing away again.

"Itachi will go alone with me while the rest of you stay here with the horse. We'll meet you back later," came the final dismissal before Zetsu walked to the door, stepping out and down the metal stairs to be driven to the terminal.

They passed through standard checks, Zetsu presenting Itachi's passport each time, before they finally exited the arrivals section, walking through the welcoming section to find a man holding a sign marked 'Uchiha'.

Itachi was led to a cab, a sleek, expensive car that a few people took second glances at. Usually he would just get a regular taxi from an airport or, if he was travelling with horses, then he'd take a horsebox. The Uchiha knew why everything was showy and expensive; it was to remind Itachi that Madara controlled their family, that he was the one with the money and he was the one who said when things happened and when they didn't.

They drove smoothly through the country, the traffic light for a late Monday afternoon. Despite his journey, Itachi didn't feel jet lagged at all, instead knowing that he'd need all of his wits and strength when talking to Madara.

The driver paused a few minutes from their estate, the lights at Buck's Barn determinedly red. Itachi looked around glumly before his eyes hit the giant McDonald's sign, and his stomach rumbled. Breakfast had seemed so long ago and they'd only been permitted light snacks on the plane.

"Almost home," Zetsu muttered, but Itachi couldn't disagree more. It didn't feel as if he was going home anymore, not when his uncle would stoop to such levels to simply get him home and under his control.

They pulled through large iron gates, galloping horses and roses entwining the bars. It had been a safety gate through his childhood, memories of watching the gate open automatically - as if by magic - but now it felt like a prison.

They passed through white picket fenced fields, horses pausing in their grazing to look up. Itachi could name each and every one of them, picking out which ones were his and which ones were horses boarded at the stud. He'd missed them all, that much was true, and wondered if he'd be able to seek comfort from them after seeing Madara.

The house itself was a large one, with many other buildings for workers and members of the force behind the Stud. One of the stable block sat a little ways away from the main house, around forty stalls available in a square block, and Itachi wondered how many horses were out. There was also another block of forty stables on the opposite side, so that stables flanked the main house on either side. It was rare that all of them were in order, but sometimes extra accommodation was needed if a horse had a friend it preferred to travel with. There were also specially designed stalls for birthing in and others that accommodated mares with twins.

They got out of the car, passing through hedge and rosebush-lined pathways up to the main house. It was quiet when they got inside and Itachi ventured a guess that Madara had sent his parents out on an errand, just to keep them away and in the dark about what was going on between him and Itachi.

"Your uncle will meet you in the study," Zetsu said, leading Itachi by the arm down a corridor and to the aforementioned study. It was an old fashioned room, something you'd expect from a noir detective film and it fitted Madara perfectly.

Zetsu left him at the door, opening it and giving Itachi a little push. Madara was standing by one of many bookshelves and he looked up, face set in stone and mouth in a thin line.

"About time," he said, gesturing for Itachi to take a seat at one of the leather arm chairs, settling himself in one.

Cool dark eyes glared at Itachi, trying to figure out what was running through his nephews mind the past few days. Furious was an understatement when he found out that Itachi had canceled his plane tickets and never bothered to book new ones.

Everything about the situation was strange, starting with the voice on the phone that had cut him off. At first, he simply thought that indeed the minutes on the card had run out, until he remembered that there weren't using a phone card.

That was the start of everything. After that the plane tickets were canceled and Itachi had vanished somewhere in America. The first time Itachi had called, Madara had Zetsu trace the call and start to get an idea of where he was.

The conversation was too short to get a good idea of where they were, but Zetsu managed to narrow it down to the southern part of America. Then the email came in and his tracker was able to work through the Internet connect and hack into Itachi's email account.

It was the picture that had startled Madara the most before the rage set in. Seeing that damn cowboy had done nothing to quell the anger at Itachi. His nephew had vanished without a trace all because of some Western riding, and there was no way he could let that happen.

Without another thought, he had Zetsu gather up his men and sent them to Texas with strict instructions to bring Itachi back. Part of him was tempted to have Zetsu bring the cowboy back and rough him up a bit so he understood that Itachi was off limits, but he kept that tucked away in case the blond tried anything stupid.

Madara reached over and picked up a file that was sitting on the table. He opened it and drew out the picture that had been in Itachi's email. His fingers held it loosely and he passed it over to Itachi with disgust etched into his features.

"Explain. Now." Madara demanded.

Itachi stared down at the picture of Naruto, nostrils flaring in anger. Madara had been tracking his email all this time?

"I believe that's a private photograph and that it's illegal to hack into someone's private account," Itachi said defiantly, wanting to annoy Madara.

"I'm not here to play games and if you want to keep me from sending people over to that ranch and burning it to the ground then you'll cooperate. Explain," Madara hissed, his jaw taunt.

Itachi knew there was nothing else he could do but explain his absence.

"I met someone at the Games and we became friends. He helped us with a few jobs," Madara didn't need to hear the full truth and telling him Naruto had helped would mean that Naruto needed to be repaid somehow. "And we let him stay with us. At the end he said that, in return, we could come stay back at his home for a while as a way to pay back for the kindness we had shown him."

Madara's face didn't even move a muscle so Itachi continued.

"The flight home would have been ridiculously busy if we'd flown amongst the other competitors and so we accepted his offer." Itachi's voice dropped, "Sasuke was there. You kept Sasuke from writing to us because of your own twisted ideas... you kept a family from their son, their brother... why?"

"Sasuke chose his own path and you would be wise to stay away from that path. He was left with nothing and you have what every rider wants. People desire to have just a sliver of what we have here, and you would blow it by staying with some, Western rider?" Madara spat. "Don't be a fool Itachi like your brother."

He grabbed the picture out of Itachi's hand and ripped it down the middle before further destroying it. He dropped the pieces into an ash tray next to him and glared at Itachi. Without a word, he brought out a lighter and held it to the edge of the torn picture.

Clicking the wheel, fire flickered and then roared, licking the paper with its flames. The paper curled in on itself and turned black as it ate away at the picture.

"You will not speak with that man again. You have a job here and anything that you could have expected to happen would never have worked out. I merely saved you from that truth in the long run." He snorted at the thought. "An Uchiha does not socialize with someone like that, you would do well to remember that."

Itachi clenched his fists. At least his freedom wasn't taken away fully, but he could never be happy with it.

"You can't control me forever," he said, standing. He'd email Naruto right away, explaining what had happened.

Ignoring Madara, who called out for him to stay, Itachi walked out of the main house, grabbing a set of keys from a hook near the door, and set off to one of the outbuildings. Even though he was family and worked on the Stud, Itachi had his own house, away enough from his parents so that they didn't intrude on each other's lives.

He turned on the computer once he got to his study, waiting for it to boot up before he could email. Itachi waited for the Internet to connect, but nothing happened, even though he tried multiple things to reset it.

"So I can't email then," he said, looking around his room. Of course Madara would block his Internet, probably the Internet to the whole house bar his study. Itachi could wait to break into his study and do that, or simply phone Naruto.

Itachi had made sure to memorise Naruto's phone number and he keyed in the international code before the number that would save his sanity.

"We are sorry, we are unable to connect your call. International calls from this landline have been blocked, to unblock them please contact the person in charge of your network."

Itachi clicked the phone shut with a defeated slump of his shoulders. There was no way to connect Naruto, no way to tell him that he hadn't left by choice. What would he think of Itachi now? Nothing more than he deserved.

Itachi closed his eyes briefly before recognising the sound of a horsebox pulling up. He'd think about everything else later, but for now he had to calm Susanoo down and talk to his friends, make sure they were okay.

Only then could he plan against his uncle.

**.**

Axel whined outside the closed door and scratched at the base of it. His attempts to get inside had failed and it seemed as though the door was locked for the first time in a long time.

Footsteps sounded down the hall and he turned to greet the person, hoping they'd get the door open so he could get inside and pounce on his master. Instead, a hand fell to his head and scratched his ears.

He whined again but was pulled away from the door. Tail tucked between his legs, he cast one last look to the door before he was guided to the steps. He trotted down them and sat at the bottom, hoping for someone to come back down soon. It was too quiet.

After making sure Axel was staying downstairs, Sasuke walked back to Naruto's door. He knocked on it and heard a pillow thump against the wood. With a sigh, he grabbed the key from his pocket and worked it into the slot.

He grunted as another pillow came at his face and walked over to the bed. It had been four days since Itachi had left and there had been no signs of him coming back. They'd gone back to their normal routine, Naruto moving slower than usual but the work helped to keep his mind busy.

But once night fell, his mind caught up in the silence of the room and the pain started once more. Several times, Sasuke woke up to find Naruto in his room, looking for someone to help chase the pain away and it tore at him.

Sasuke wasn't sure why Itachi had left the way he had. No note, no email or phone message; nothing. It reminded Sasuke of the time he was disowned by his family and he hated the feeling. He had tried several times to get a hold of Itachi by phone and email, but each time, they bounced back.

He was tired of trying to figure everything out and even the ideas that he thought of sounded so far fetched that he didn't bother mentioning them Naruto. If it got his hopes up only to have them shattered again, he'd never forgive himself.

"Come on Naruto," he muttered and tossed some jeans at the blond. "We have to get down to the high school. Its the fund raiser tonight and you agreed to show Wichita to help the FFA chapter.

With a grunt, Naruto sat up and looked at the jeans. His tears had finally dried up the other night and were replaced instead with hurt and betrayal. Bags hung under his eyes, a visible sign that Itachi's disappearing act had messed with his sleep.

Slipping the jeans on, Naruto trailed after Sasuke downstairs where the trailer was already hooked up and Wichita waited patiently inside. With a woof, Axel jumped into the bed of the truck, ready to go along for the ride.

The drive was uncomfortable. Sasuke had had his fair share of silences in cars, but this was the most awkward one he'd ever experienced. There was no way that Naruto couldn't not think of Itachi. They had connected over horses, which was a damned strong element in Naruto's livelihood. He couldn't think about anything and, therefore, they couldn't talk about anything without it leading back to Itachi.

Sasuke pulled up at the school and set to unloading Wichita, not bothering to ask Naruto who should do it. Naruto would have to cope on his own later, but Sasuke would do what he could to help.

Once Wichita was ready, Sasuke led the horse around to Naruto's side of the truck, stopping when he saw his friend.

"You're going to kill yourself if you carry on like this, and for what? Itachi's gone, Naruto. They're all gone. Stop wallowing and just deal with it." Sasuke hated to be so harsh, but he couldn't stand to see Naruto in this condition. "I understand what you feel, I thought I'd got my family back after so long..." Sasuke trailed off, looking away as Naruto finally looked up.

"We're going to get through this. You're going to go show Wichita off and I'll be watching you. We're going to talk to people, maybe meet up with Neji, and then go home, grab something to eat and get some sleep.

Naruto nodded and slid out of the truck. Sasuke was right, he couldn't keep acting like this. They had things to do and the world wasn't going to stop turning just because Itachi left him. It hurt to say it, but it was the truth.

He accepted the reins and led the bay to field where he would be showing Wichita. It was a good way to help Neji raise money and brought publicity to their ranch as well. Already a crowd had formed, wanting to see a high level rider perform and he grinned slightly.

His mind pushed thoughts of Itachi away, knowing that he had to concentrate now. Mounting, he nodded to Sasuke as the Uchiha opened the gate and he jogged in. Greeting the crowd with a wave and a wide smile, Naruto moved Wichita to warm up and let his body sink into what felt natural.

Sasuke watched from the railing, glad to see that his words had some affect, even if they were harsh. It hurt him as much as it did Naruto to have Itachi vanish the way he had, but he tried not to let it show for the blonde's sake.

Behind him, someone cleared their throat and Sasuke turned around. His eyes narrowed slightly as Neji smiled at him and took a spot next to him on the rail.

"Thank you for coming out to help like this, I know y'all have been busy with your guest." Pale eyes glanced around for Itachi. "Where are they anyway? I thought they'd enjoy this."

Sasuke frowned, had Neji always been this prying? Or maybe it was because it was a sensitive subject...

"They had to go," Sasuke muttered, turning back around to watch Naruto again. If he ignored Neji then maybe he'd go away.

"Had to go? That's sudden isn't it?" Neji commented lightly, walking to rest on the fence beside Sasuke.

"Some people have commitments they have to make," Sasuke said, wondering why he was defending Itachi and the others even after they had just left. He didn't owe them anything, but he just couldn't find it in himself to explain the situation to Neji.

"I see," Neji said, the conversation drawing to a close.

Around them, people clapped as Naruto continued the showing and Sasuke took the opportunity to glance at Neji, who seemed rather eager. He'd have to try to dimmer down whatever Neji was planning for Naruto as his friend really didn't need anything like that in his life at the moment.

Keeping his eyes locked on Naruto, gears started to turn in Neji's mind. It was a shame that Itachi had to leave but Itachi's loss was his gain and the Uchiha was a fool for letting Naruto go.

For now, he'd offer his support to Naruto, comfort him as best he could while whispering sweet words into his ear until Naruto forgot about Itachi. After all, he'd been next to Naruto's side before Itachi and Neji planned on staying there now that the Uchiha was gone as well.

He'd show Naruto that he was better than Itachi and he could start right after this showing. He listened to the polite claps that surrounded them and joined in with some of his own. After waiting all these years, a few more weeks would go by in the blink of an eye.

**.**

Itachi paused and wiped the sweat off that had formed on his brow. He'd forgotten how tiring working at a Stud could be, especially as he'd been given extra duties. Even though he was Head of the Stud, Madara held position over him and so had given him even more duties.

Ignoring the thoughts that threatened to break free from the back of his mind, Itachi walked over to a stable and unlocked the door, slipping inside. It was larger than an ordinary stable, with a rope cutting off the bedding area. It was designed for labouring mares and one of the horses had given birth a few days ago.

"Hello," Itachi greeted the mare, waiting patiently for her to come to him. She stood quickly, walking over with her ears flat back. Itachi held out his hand, letting her sniff his palm, and her ears swivelled forwards in curiosity, accepting Itachi as a friend rather than a foe.

Behind her, an orange-coloured foal stood shakily, peeking out from behind its mother. Itachi smiled, a rare sight, and greeted the foal.

"Hello to you too Amaterasu." The foal clambered through the bedding, sniffing as he reached Itachi's hand. Itachi rubbed the foal's muzzle gently, ignoring the fact that, a week and a half ago, he was stroking a very different chestnut.

"We're going out to the field for the first time," Itachi said, unhooking two headcollars and placing one on the mother first. Amaterasu was wary of the headcollar and Itachi soothed him, stroking his neck with promises of a treat coming his way.

Once he'd clipped them onto lead ropes, Itachi exited the stable, taking them to a private field. Before they would join the herd, Itachi wanted to make sure that Amaterasu could handle the field and another horse.

"Come on then, Susanoo's waiting to meet you."

Susanoo came from the same dam and sire as Amaterasu's mother. While they were related by blood, Itachi was unsure how she would take to the new addition to their family. She had been stroppy lately, ever since they had been 'home', but Itachi couldn't blame her.

Deidara and Kisame acted as if it hadn't happened. They ignored any mention of Naruto and Itachi knew it was for the best. None of them wanted to be reminded of what had been taken away from them and sometimes it was the best way.

Itachi still hoped for some other way of things to happen, though. He had thought of different ways to break through Madara's security, to shout and rage and attack his uncle (after a particularly upsetting day), but they had all been useless. He'd never carry something like that through.

Susanoo was at the fence when he reached the field and her ears twisted round in interest. Her neck arched as she sniffed at Amaterasu, blowing air into his nostrils.

Itachi smiled and opened the gate. One day he'd breed from Susanoo and he was only sad that he couldn't let her breed yet. She would make a wonderful mother, and perhaps in one or two years she would be okay to breed from. The only reason Itachi hadn't so far was the fact she was a competing horse and needed strict training. Pregnancy would interrupt the training regime and ruin her career.

Sometimes Itachi hated that part of his mind, the part that sounded too much like Madara for his own liking.

From the top of the hill, Madara watched as Itachi worked with the horses. He knew his nephew was still upset but the anger rolled over him like water beading off a duck's back. Itachi would get over it soon, there were other fish in the pond.

Right now, he had other problems to worry about. He was due for a meeting with a partner and he was slightly stressed about it. He cast one last glance at Itachi before turning his attention to the sleek car that was pulling up to the house.

Zetsu opened the door and walked with the man up to the house. They briefly shook hands and Madara smirked at the new male. "It's been a while Kakazu. I take it your job keeps you busy?"

"Very," he rasped and turned towards the fields where Itachi was still working with the foal. "I see you found your eldest nephew and that he's not injured in anyway."

Madara bristled slightly. "I would never lay a hand on Itachi. He was momentarily confused but he's come to his senses."

Kakuzu grunted. "Nothing wrong with a little punishment. Break a leg and he won't want to run away again like that."

Waving the comment inside, Madara opened the door. "Come on, we have work to do. I was thinking about this new company in America. It's gaining popularity and is run by some guy named..."

Itachi watched the horses frolic in the field and decided that they could go out to the main herd, in the largest field the stud owned. The horses there were the ones belonging to the Uchiha family, the ones that people paid obscene amounts of money to breed their horses from and the ones that held amazingly impressive bloodlines.

He moved back toward the main house, wondering if Madara was in or if he'd gone out. Itachi decided to risk it, climbing up the stairs as quietly as possible and hovering outside of the study. He almost left as he heard voices, until he realised that one was unrecognisable. Which was odd, Itachi should know everyone who worked for them...

"Is it possible?" came his uncle's voice, trailing under the door.

"It'll take a while, but it is possible. We need to find someone to use and hack into their computer. Once we get the accounts that the company uses, we can re-route the money into several other off shore accounts." There was a pause before the voice continued.

"We'll have to let the money sit for a while and maybe send someone to take care of the employer so he doesn't start to poke around but if we're careful, the employee will be jail for embezzling from the company."

Another voice picked up, one that Itachi recognized as Zetsu's. "Once we get into." The sounds of papers flipping around filled the office. "Bob's computer, we can start shuffling little amounts into his own personal account. Once the company has realized that their books aren't balancing out, they'll start their look internal first. That's when we move the money into the off shore accounts."

The new voice cut Zetsu off. "By the time Bob is under suspicion, it'll be too late to track the money. I don't leave paper trails, as you know from my past work."

"Excellent," Madara muttered. "Start as soon as possible. With this new source of cash income, it's off the books and free of taxes. I'll be able to buy out the competition and create a monopoly."

Itachi's eyes widened as he twigged to what was going on. Madara was planning to embezzle money and store it in an offshore account... and who knows how many other times they had done it. From the sounds of it, Madara wasn't scared to illegally take hold of money, stealing it and niggling away.

"I'll leave the files in the folder on your desk and we can go over them when we get back. We have reservations at the South Lodge and we don't want to be late," someone said and Itachi looked around for a place to hide.

He darted into one of the rooms nearby, his heart beating wildly in his ears and breath shallowing as he tried to be as quiet as possible. The men walked by his door, laughing about what they were going to eat and general business, and Itachi hoped they wouldn't search around for him before they left.

Itachi crossed his fingers as the front door opened and closed, hoping that they'd go straight to the cars. Luckily, the roar of an engine flared up and Itachi let out a slow breath as the car pulled away, taking the group to the expensive hotel and the restaurant they were to eat in that night.

Looking around, though it was a silly gesture, Itachi stepped out of the room he'd been in. He didn't need to worry about his parents finding him as they were talking to the owner of a local racehorse training facility about breeding their horses at the stud. He only had to worry about Madara coming back, which was unlikely.

Madara's study was locked and Itachi swore under his breath, trying to remember if there was a spare key to the room at all. If not, he'd attempt with a safety pin or paper clip, but he was unsure as to how far he'd get with those told.

He poked around the area, trying to a key. He knew that several of the doors opened with the same key since it was annoying to have a different key for each room. With a few keys in hand, he started to test each one, glancing over his shoulder every now and then.

Two keys were left and frustration was starting to grow inside him. He wasn't going to let Madara win when he was this close to knocking his uncle down a peg and getting back to Naruto.

The key slid into the hole during his mental rant and he looked at it for a second before quickly turning his wrist. The tumblers fell into place and the door swung open silently. Without a word, he slipped inside the office and closed the door behind him.

The office was quiet and he snuck over to the desk, walking on his tiptoes even though the house was empty. Several folders were sitting on the desk and he wiped his hands on his pants before opening them up.

The account numbers to the offshore accounts filled the first page, along with the amount of time it would take to transfer it over. Certain accounts had set limits on how much could be transferred at one time while others were a little bit simpler. Some of the information went over his head, but it was still enough.

Itachi moved onto the other folders that held information on the company and the person that they were going to frame. The set up seemed fool proof and it seemed that Madara thought it was. So much so that he hadn't bothered to lock up the folders in a safe. It would be his downfall though, Itachi wasn't about to pass up an opportunity like this.

Itachi leafed through the files, finding references throughout to all the activity his uncle had been doing. Luckily it was separate from the main family accounts, solely under names that Itachi had never heard and so were for Madara's own benefit. At least the money wasn't paying for the Stud, or else Itachi would have to turn a blind eye, being outsmarted when he thought he had gained something of vital importance.

As it was, though, he could use this. Madara would be helpless against so much evidence.

Rifling through the folder consumed Itachi's time and it wasn't until he hear voices that he realised Madara was back. There was no time to leave the room and Itachi panicked, looking around hurriedly for somewhere to hide.

There wasn't anywhere and footsteps sounded down the hall. There was only one thing he could do and Itachi swallowed thickly, looking to the door and controlling his expression.

"The door..." Madara trailed off, the door swinging open and the man rushing in. He looked around before focusing on a smirking Itachi, folder open in front of him and phone poised in his hand.

"Good evening gentlemen," he said calmly, voice betraying none of the emotion inside of him. "Unfortunately your plans may have come to their end and I advise you not to do or say anything to provoke me. A call to the police takes three presses of the '9' key and don't even think about trying to get these files off of me... I faxed them through to a private number earlier."

Not that Itachi had a private number, but he'd always been pretty good at bluffing. Plus it would help in that Madara would doubt his full control over his family.

Madara narrowed his eyes at the folders in Itachi's hands. Next to him, Zetsu and Kakazu were ready to grab Itachi and force the folders away from him but he held out a hand to keep them at bay.

"Don't touch him." He growled and ran a hand over his face. If Itachi was touched in anyway, his parents would notice and that would lead to questions. It didn't help that some riding magazines were coming to talk to him after winning second at the Games.

Itachi was smart and would've figured out what everything was. He could go to the media and he would be finished. The stud would still stand, but he'd be in jail. And this was something that Itachi wouldn't bluff on.

"What do you want, Itachi?" he asked finally.

Itachi straightened up a little. "I'm going to get in contact with my lawyer tonight and we're going to draw up a contract. You are to retire from being full owner of the Uchiha Stud and estate, instead signing it over to me. The contract will state you as head of our English branch, where I trust you to keep control. I'm going to assign some people to help you run the stud too, people I can trust wholly."

Itachi didn't want to push Madara into ruining their business and so he had to be lenient. It was a delicate balance, but Itachi knew he could do it.

"I won't tell anyone about your accounts, I'll even turn a blind eye to what you have. The embezzling has to stop here though. You can keep this house, keep full control, but I'm your boss. You'll listen to me, or I'll go to the police." Itachi took a deep breath, hardly believing what he was about to say.

"I'm going to be running our new stud in America. I'll have the documents signed and sent off tomorrow to purchase the land and then we'll discuss what horses will be shipped over and talk to important contacts. I've already heard that the US is interested in our horses, except that the charges to fly them from Sussex are higher than those back home." Itachi's voice was smooth, business-like and clear. Madara hadn't said a word yet and Itachi hoped that this was good news.

"Do you understand?" he asked calmly.

For several minutes, Madara stayed silent. He wasn't sure what to say and felt like the world had turned upside down on him. He knew that Itachi was smart, and he made a good business man when it came to running the stud, but he still didn't see this coming.

He blinked and nodded his head slowly. It wasn't something he was proud of, giving up control like this, but there wasn't anything else to do. And truth be told, he was slightly proud of Itachi for acting like an Uchiha and taking matters into his own hands.

He'd still get to run the stud but without much of responsibility. Almost like a mini retirement and it seemed as though he had found a silver lining. It wasn't how he planned to retire, but for now he would work with it.

One day, he would be able to try to strike back and gain back full control. He had full faith that he could find a loophole somewhere. With a huff, he waved Zetsu and Kakuzu away, telling them to vanish for the next few days.

Once they were gone, he sat down in front of the desk and looked Itachi over. "I accept your terms. And when the stud in America falls apart, you can come crying back to me and tell me that I was right this whole time. But I will not take you back Itachi Uchiha. No matter what your parents say. You will not start another stud here, or even work with anything horse related in Europe when you come back a failure."

Itachi steeled his glance, looking coldly at his uncle. "If you prefer to think like that then go ahead, but I'll do the one thing you were never brave enough to. I'm going to stick my neck out and work for my money. I'm going to take risks, yes, because everything has its risks."

Itachi knew Madara was angry, but there was nothing he could do unless he wanted to end up in prison.

"It was a dream of yours wasn't it? Years ago, to conquer America once we'd settled everything here and built up our reputation... but you never did, because you wouldn't have been able to control it." Itachi began typing numbers into the phone, knowing that his lawyer would come over as soon as possible.

"Hello, sorry to trouble you, but could I speak to Sasori please?" Itachi paused, "Sorry, it's Itachi." He hummed as the person told him they'd just go fetch Sasori and waited patiently, eyes fixed on Madara.

"Itachi? A little out of office hours isn't it?" Sasori's monotone voice crawled through the line and Itachi smiled a little.

"My apologies, but I have a bit of an emergency. It's just suddenly been decided that a few changes need to be put in place and we need you here to discuss a contract." Itachi knew there would be one more thing that would guarantee this deal done as soon as possible. "At double your rate of course," he added.

Sasori was silent for a moment before he agreed. "I'll be there in about twenty minutes."

The phone clicked off and Itachi sighed in relief. He'd have Sasori sort out the paperwork and then finally look into the ranch in America. He would finally be going back to Naruto. He only prayed that Naruto would hear him out, hating that an explanation was needed at all.

"He'll be over in a bit," was all Itachi offered, smirking as Madara narrowed his eyes.

Sometimes it was good to be in control.

**.**

Naruto ran a brush over Kyuubi's coat, listening to the clumps of mud hit the ground. The stallion had decided to play in the mud near the pond, figuring that a good roll in cool dirt would be fun.

Fun for him, not fun for Naruto. He patted the horse's neck and moved down to brush away the last clumps of dried mud. He had planned on going out for an afternoon ride and spend some time with his horse that didn't involve working.

The cool fall weather had finally started to come in and was making working outside a little more bearable. Still, there were times during the day when it could get a little too hot and the pond called out.

It was a place Naruto had avoided for the past two and a half weeks since Itachi had left. Going there would only remind him of the midnight picnic that they were supposed to have and brought back memories he was trying to forget.

The process had been slow, working through each day and trying to figure out why Itachi still hadn't tried to contact him. It didn't help that a few days ago, they had gotten a call that the land next to them had been sold and it stressed Naruto out to no end.

The new owners hadn't contacted him about the ranch and he clung to the hope that they wouldn't be bothered by whatever was planned to be built there. For now though, it was just a waiting game and he was impatient.

He looked up as footsteps sounded in the barn and he smiled tiredly at Neji. The teacher had been coming over frequently, usually as soon as school let out, offering help for anything needed or just wanting to talk.

Truth be told, Naruto was getting a little tired of seeing the man come over all the time and creating more problems than solving them. He knew what Neji wanted, the subtle touches not going unnoticed. Yet, it seemed as though the man wasn't taking the hints that Naruto wasn't into him that way.

"Hello Neji," Naruto said softly and ran another brush over the coat.

Neji nodded at him. "Going for a ride?" he asked, making sure to keep a safe distance away from the stallion.

Naruto grunted. "Yeah. Kyuubi and I wanted to spend some time together so we'll be riding alone." He moved to get the saddle from the tack room, hoping Neji would get the hint.

Not one to give up, Neji trotted after him. He was feeling lucky today, and he knew that the fates were telling him to go forward with Naruto. All he had to do was convince the blond about the fates as well.

Neji watched as Naruto pulled the saddle from its rack and returned to Kyuubi. The horse hated him and he made sure to stay well away from both ends, knowing that a kick or a bite could do some serious damage.

"It's a nice day for a ride, lovely and cool," Neji attempted conversation as Naruto slung the saddle on Kyuubi's back.

"Yeah," Naruto answered, not wanting to be rude, but needing to be blunt enough so Neji would get the message. It didn't seem to work, however.

"I see the land next door's been sold too," the Hyuuga tried again, looking over Kyuubi's back as Naruto moved round the horse. "It's okay you know. If, you know, things go bad I have room at my house for you to stay or something."

It would be perfect; next door would ruin Naruto's business, taking away from the blond and Sasuke would be forced to move out too, Naruto close behind as they failed in their business. Neji would swoop in, offering a warm shelter to Naruto, protecting him from the misfortune he had suffered. And, of course, Naruto would be happy to join him.

"We'll see what happens," Naruto said softly. He wasn't making any plans to move out just yet. If the new owners hadn't called him by now, they were waiting for something.

He brushed past Neji, remembering that he needed bug spray for Kyuubi since the mosquito's were starting to bite when they went out to the woods. The other bottles were in Sasuke's truck at the front of the barn. He had forgotten to pull them out when Sasuke had come back from the store.

The Uchiha was doing stock inside the house, getting a list ready for the tack store to fill out. It was something that he enjoyed doing and said that he would join Naruto outside once he was done.

Naruto hopped it was soon as he heard Neji following him. He dug through the back seat and pulled out the bag that had the spray. He really didn't want to be rude, but it seemed like his message wasn't getting across and he was tired of playing nice.

"Neji," he started and set the bag on the toolbox. "You're a good friend, and you've helped me out a lot in the past. But right now, I want a chance to go riding, alone. Just me and my horse."

Pale eyes blinked and Neji crossed his arms across his chest. "Basically, you're telling me to fuck off?" His eyes narrowed. "Even though I've been sacrificing my own time to come over here and make sure you're doing okay?"

Naruto shook his head. "I never asked you to do that. You came here of your own free will and wasted your own time. I didn't do any of it." He paused and ran a hand over his face, feeling exhaustion creep over his body. "I don't like you Neji, not the way you feel for me."

Neji's face darkened and he grabbed Naruto's shoulders. "You're still thinking about Itachi, aren't you?" Naruto stayed silent and he snarled. "He left you, Naruto. Without a damn word and hasn't tried to contact you since. He just used you, he never cared for you at all."

"So what!" Naruto's voice was strained and Kyuubi snorted in response, wheeling his head round with ears pinned back. Naruto laid a hand on the chestnut's neck, smoothing the hairs gently. "Itachi has nothing to do with this. I know you had feelings for me before I even met him and I didn't act on them then." Naruto turned, placing a foot in one of the stirrups and mounting Kyuubi.

"I'd like you to leave now. I think for a while our relationship should be purely business and I'd prefer if you didn't come out to the ranch. If you need to schedule an appointment, the school may contact me." Naruto's voice was devoid of emotion.

It hurt that he had to push away a friend, but Neji was getting ideas too far above his reach. He could tolerate the not-so-subtle flirting as long as it remained harmless, but Neji seemed to believe they actually had something going on.

And he had no right to bring up Itachi's name against him. They were wounds that would likely never heal and Neji knew how much it had hurt these past few weeks. How dare Neji use it against him?

When he came back from the ride he'd tell Sasuke that Neji was no longer a welcome guest, for a while at least. He didn't want to deal with Neji and, in the event the man was still on the premises, he'd let Sasuke deal with him. Sasuke hated him anyway.

Kyuubi tossed his head and squealed in annoyance, pulling him out of thoughts. He glanced down and narrowed his eyes at Neji, who was holding the reins in his hands. The stallion's ears flew back and he tried to reach around and bite the man but a harsh tug on the reins kept him at bay.

He pranced around in spot as his head was held down, snorting unhappily. The man was just out of reach and knew how to move out of the way whenever he shifted his body.

"Let go of my horse," Naruto growled, anger filling his voice.

"No," Neji snarled. "You will not throw our friendship away just like that. I've known you for years and have been patient. You will not deny me any longer."

The raised voices made Kyuubi dance around more, his front legs raising slightly off the ground as he struggled to get free. He could feel the pull on his mouth as the man tried to control him more, but it only fueled his anger and he raised up on his hind legs again, lifting the man slightly.

Naruto grasped Kyuubi's mane in an attempt to stay on. He knew the stallion was growing more upset and he tried to calm the chestnut down. He waited until the front hooves hit the ground again before sliding off.

His hand pulled back and curled into a fist before it found Neji's jaw. The Hyuuga stumbled backwards and let the reins go, allowing Naruto to collect them before Kyuubi stepped on them.

"If you ever touch my horse again, I will call the police," Naruto hissed. Kyuubi trembled behind him, ears still pressed flat against his head.

Neji stared at Naruto, about to say something when he heard approaching footsteps. Sasuke stood on the porch, Lulu at his side. He looked between Naruto and Neji, focusing on Neji the longest, before he whistled, Axel joining them a moment later.

"I suggest you do as Naruto says," Sasuke muttered, unsure what exactly had gone on between them. It seemed as though Neji had overstepped the boundary between friendship and obsessiveness and Naruto had had enough. Finally.

Without another word, Neji got into his truck and pulled away, both Naruto and Sasuke watching him go. There was no regret for either of them, in fact relief seeped in now that Kyuubi was safe. If Neji tried anything else, there would be no delay in Naruto contacting the school board. Neji was lucky Naruto was letting him go now.

"I just got a phone call. The last set of keys was picked up for next door... seems like we'll be getting our neighbours sometime soon." Sasuke could see Naruto was distracted and walked over, holding a hand out so that Kyuubi could see he was no threat.

"Go enjoy your ride," he said, patting Naruto on the shoulder. "Don't let some idiot bring you down."

Naruto nodded, hearing the words but not really taking them in. He looked over Kyuubi from head to hoof, checking over his mouth to make sure the bit hadn't hurt his mouth too bad. The stallion was tense but was slowly relaxing now that Neji was gone.

"We'll be back," he muttered and carefully led Kyuubi away. Now more than ever, he needed to clear his mind. Neji had reopened wounds that were barely starting to heal by bringing Itachi back into the picture.

He mounted and set out to the side of the ranch that bordered the property that had just been sold. This would probably be the last chance he'd get to see it as an open field before it was covered with some large business.

Kyuubi snorted as they came closer and Naruto glanced out over the fence. The grass had been trimmed and some of fences around the old house had been torn down. It seemed as though the new owners weren't wasting anytime on getting the place ready.

He moved into the woods, not wanting to see what else had changed. They passed into the woods and Naruto glanced up at the sound of a truck rumbling down their driveway. He wondered if it belonged to the new owners and desperation clawed at him. Without another thought, he moved Kyuubi into a trot and let the house vanish behind him.

Naruto felt the wind in his hair and closed his eyes. He could hear his herd of cattle in one of the fields around and, if he looked in a certain way through the trees, he could see his home. He didn't want any of this to change. There was nothing for miles around except fields and the occasional building. Everything was perfect, quiet and relaxing.

Except now some huge corporation were probably planning to take all of that away, mar the landscape and try to force Naruto out. He knew it would only be a matter of time before it happened, land developers only wanted one thing; money. More money meant more land and Naruto would be shoved aside until he gave up.

With a growl of frustration, Naruto moved further through the wood, round to one of the borders of his land and next door's. It had been abandoned for years, even when the previous owners lived there, and wild grasses had built up in the area.

Kyuubi slowed to a walk under Naruto's hand and the blond patted his horse. No matter what happened, he'd always have his horses, that much was true.

Out of the corner of his eye, Naruto caught a flash of colour and turned his head sharply. One of his cattle couldn't have gotten into next door's field could they? He was so sure the fence was secure, but there was always a chance.

Damn. The one day Naruto really didn't need a bull to make a break through and it had done it. Squinting at the brick-red animal, Naruto realised that it was a little too small to be a calf, runt or not.

"What the..." he said, trailing off as he noticed another red dot, larger than the first and looking more like a horse.

Had they had someone call to book a stall? Naruto hadn't received any notification that they'd need to board someone, but he admitted he hadn't been completely on top of business lately. He'd have to check with Sasuke and quickly get the mare and foal out from next door before they upset the neighbours.

Turning Kyuubi around, they trotted back to the house and he frowned when he realized the truck was still in the driveway. He really hoped that it didn't belong to the neighbors and they were here to complain already. It wouldn't take long to get the mare and foal out of the neighbors' field and then he could try to do some damage control.

Knowing Sasuke, he was already handling the situation and was waiting for him back inside the house. Naruto slowed Kyuubi to a walk as they came closer to the house and ran an eye over the truck. It probably belonged to the contracting company; even better.

Kyuubi stopped at the porch and Naruto slid to the ground. There was no need to unsaddle the stallion since he'd be leaving to go get the mare after a quick talk. Making sure the reins wouldn't cause any harm to Kyuubi, Naruto climbed up the steps and stepped inside the house.

Axel greeted him with a wagging tail but continued to lay on the ground, watching the people in the kitchen with lazy eyes. Taking his boots off, Naruto padded down the hallway and turned into the kitchen.

He froze as his eyes settled on the figure sitting at the table. Pale fingers were curled around a cup and two pairs of dark eyes glanced up at him. Sasuke moved away from the table, approaching him carefully. His hand reached out to grab his wrist but Naruto took a step back, shaking his head.

"Itachi," he croaked and felt his heart start to pound harshly against his chest, the sound pulsing in his ears.

**.**

For Itachi, it had been a long few days. He'd barely slept, between organising paperwork and transferring horses to the new stud. So far only his personal horses had arrived, Itachi with them, but the others were getting the necessary files passed through and would be joining later.

He'd never appreciated the amount of work Madara did and, by the time he'd arrived at his new stud, he'd been ready to crawl upstairs and fall asleep on the floor.

Except he had one very important task to do before. He'd driven over after turning his three horses out into one of the back fields. The ranch had been silent until he cut the engine, where Sasuke walked from the house with a stern expression on his face.

"I thought we said-" was all that Sasuke managed out before he looked at Itachi. His eyes widened and he'd shut down immediately, like he had when Itachi first arrived.

"I'd like to explain," Itachi had offered, unsure how else to approach the topic. Sasuke had nodded, running on autopilot and taking them to the kitchen, turning the kettle on.

"Is Naruto in?" Sasuke had bristled at the question and Itachi resisted the urge to flinch.

What he'd done was terrible, horrible, but he needed to explain things. Only when Naruto had been told all the facts could Itachi deal with the blond hating him.

"He'll be back in a bit," Sasuke had retorted harshly, placing a mug in front of Itachi and looking away.

They had sat in silence, unsure how to begin when Naruto had stormed into the room, gasping out Itachi's name and moving back in disbelief.

Itachi's heart broke as he saw Naruto flinch away. Madara had done this, caused Naruto to hate him. That much almost made Itachi want to hand the files in, but he needed them for future use. If Madara tried anything, he'd be straight to the police.

"Please, I need the chance to explain," Itachi said quietly, looking between his brother and Naruto. "That's all I ask for. I'll leave after, never bother you again, but I need to explain."

Silence rang around the room and Itachi took this as approval to speak.

"My uncle sent someone to collect us. They took Susanoo and..." Itachi was unsure whether he should mention the threats, but then supposed it wouldn't hurt his plea. "Threatened to burn down the ranch."

Itachi noticed the disbelief around him and fought against it, "These men aren't your usual men. They don't care if they destroy things, burning down a house is just another day's work," he said swiftly, taking a sip of his tea. It was a little hot and his tongue burnt slightly, but it faded as he continued.

"We were sent home and I honestly thought I could contact you to explain. My email was locked down as were international calls and I wasn't allowed to leave. I'm sorry," the apology was feeble even to Itachi and he winced slightly.

"Circumstances have changed and I'm the sole owner of Uchiha, Madara running our English-based stud." Itachi wondered how to phrase his next words, standing and swallowing to last of his tea. It was still hot, but he'd overextended his welcome.

"I won't ask you to give up any of your land to us. If you require anything from us, don't hesitate to ask. Hopefully we won't bother you too much moving in, but if we disturb you, just tell someone. Lots of people will be coming in and out as we set up next door."

Itachi walked around the side of the table, placing his mug on the kitchen counter. "I really am sorry," he apologised deeply. "I never meant to hurt you, both of you. I wish..." Itachi trailed off; wishes were useless.

Silence was heavy in the kitchen, making the air grow tense around them. It seemed that no one knew what to say next, yet no one was willing to move away just yet.

Sasuke was the first to break the silence and he circled around the table, putting it between himself and Itachi. "Madara," he asked quietly. Itachi nodded and Sasuke fell into thought again before speaking. "You said something about him earlier, when you first came here. It was brief and I never pushed it; I didn't see a point in doing so."

He held out his hand. "Give me your phone." His fingers wiggled slightly and he watched as Itachi dug out the small device and set it in his palm. "I'm calling mum," he said softly and stalked out of the kitchen, leaving Itachi alone with Naruto.

Naruto watched him go with wide eyes, not sure how he was going to handle having Itachi in the same room. He could feel Itachi's gaze on him and he swallowed harshly, not sure what to say.

"You hurt me," he finally said softly. "At first I thought you were out riding in that storm but then I realized all y'alls stuff was gone and I knew you were gone." His voice choked slightly and bit his lip to keep the tears from coming out.

He wasn't sure what to feel. Part of him was ecstatic that Itachi was back for good and was going to be his neighbor. It was killing two birds with one stone. But at the same time, the other part was screaming profanities at the Uchiha and wasn't sure what to believe.

He wanted to believe Itachi, knowing that every time they had tried to get a hold of him, the calls bounced back. But he couldn't imagine someone going through that much trouble just to bring Itachi home.

Then again, his mind reminded him of what happened to Sasuke when he came to America and for a while, Itachi's story didn't seem all that fake.

"I," he started and then fell silent. Words were escaping him and he struggled to clutch at them but they slipped through his fingers. He closed his eyes, allowing the silence to fill the house once more.

They snapped open when footsteps sounded on the hardwood floor and he watched Itachi start to move towards the door. His body moved forward without thinking and his arms circled Itachi's waist.

"Don't go," he whispered and pressed his face into Itachi's shirt. "Please don't go again without saying anything."

Itachi's eyes widened as warm arms circled his body. Naruto wasn't shouting or screaming, he wasn't hitting him or throwing things around, he was holding on tightly, afraid to lose Itachi again.

Turning in Naruto's grip, Itachi's eyes watered as he pulled Naruto loose a little, wrapping his own arms around the blond and holding him tightly. He'd missed the way Naruto felt against him, missed the way Naruto smelt, missed the way short blond hairs tickled his skin, missed so many things and he vowed never to be away from Naruto for this long again.

Itachi felt hands grip his shoulder and he pulled away slightly, wet cheeks ignored as their lips touched. It was a wet kiss, hardly a picture-perfect one or one that was comfortable, but it was a glorious feeling to Itachi. He pressed his body against Naruto's feeling the heat seep through their skin and thaw the coldness Madara had forced into him.

They broke apart a few times, kissing again once air entered their lungs. There was never such a thing as too many kisses and Itachi was going to prove this to Naruto. He'd never leave again, never let Naruto leave, and hoped that, in time, he could make up for what he'd done.

Naruto clawed at Itachi's back, trying to press his body closer to the Uchiha's. He was still hurting and wanted to question Itachi more when his mind was clearer, but right now he just wanted to hold onto Itachi in case he vanished again.

He felt as though he should be yelling at the older male, but it wasn't Itachi's fault. The same force that had kept Sasuke away had tried to do the same thing to Itachi, but he had come back and Naruto wouldn't let him go again.

Panting, he rested his head against Itachi's chest and felt his body trembled. The lack of sleep had caught up with the shock of having Itachi back and he slowly slid to the ground, dragging Itachi with him.

"Still mad," he muttered and his fingers tightened in the shirts fabric.

"Still sorry," Itachi replied, resting his head against Naruto's.

They remained on the floor for a while, until Axel padded over, wanting in on the attention. His tongue lolled from his mouth and he licked Itachi's cheek before moving to lick Naruto.

"I have something to show you," Itachi said, standing up slowly and taking Naruto's hand and entwining their fingers. They exited the house, Kyuubi standing still, straight in front of them.

Itachi stopped, dropping Naruto's hand as Kyuubi marched forwards, head stretched and ears flat back. He stopped a short way from Itachi's head and snorted, stamping his foot.

"I'm sorry," Itachi said, reaching a hand to stroke the chestnut's neck. The horse flinched away and Itachi pulled his hand back, fingers reaching to the pocket in his trousers, pulling out a packet of polos.

"Consider it a peace offering, though you don't have to accept my apology just yet."

Kyuubi ate the mint and whickered gently. His ears were still back, but he let Itachi stroke him this time.

"You get on, I'll lead."

Itachi helped Naruto get onto Kyuubi, walking beside the horse. He wanted to show Naruto his latest foal and also show Susanoo that their new home wasn't so unfamiliar.

Their walk was silent, but as they set off, Naruto had dropped his hand down and Itachi had reached up, fingers connecting again. There was a direct trail leading to a gate between lands and Itachi supposed that, once, it had been a road connecting two ranches.

Bustling and people moving about was heard down at the main stable blocks and outbuildings, but Itachi left Naruto away from that, passing through wild grass and to a large gate.

"Susanoo!" he called out. "Come here girl!"

Itachi looked up at Naruto, shielding the sun from his eyes. Susanoo would come over first, but following her would be Amaterasu and his mother.

Three horses appeared from the crest of a hill, two cantering gracefully and the third gangly legged and fighting to keep up. Itachi smiled at the sight, glancing quickly to see Naruto's reaction.

"Look who's here, 'Noo," Itachi said as Susanoo poked her neck over the fence, bending to sniff Kyuubi. Behind her was the chestnut mare and Amaterasu, who poked his head under the gate, unsure whether the stallion was part of their herd or not.

Kyuubi lowered his head to sniff at the foal and their noses touched briefly. He whickered low in his throat and nudged him. Amaterasu squealed and pranced in place happily before trying to nudge him as well.

Naruto chuckled and dismounted so he could greet the foal himself. He let the small nose smell his hand before it butted his palm and he could stroke the soft coat.

"He's gorgeous, 'Tachi," he muttered and glanced up at the two mares who were waiting patiently for him to give them attention. He smiled at Susanoo who was straining her neck to reach him and he gave in, running his fingers through her mane.

"I missed you too, pretty girl," he said and scratched her neck. He turned towards Itachi. "How many more are going to come here?"

Itachi smiled at the sight of Naruto and the horses, noses poking in all different directions, trying to find out who the newcomers were.

"I have seven horses that I'm bringing over. They're the internationally known thoroughbreds, ones that even Americans know. The stables here hold about fifteen horses in total, but we're hoping to expand that soon... A few contacts have already expressed interest in breeding here so more stables need to be made up for them."

Itachi sighed lightly. "It's hard work, but next year we'll have a larger herd here with lots more foals than Amaterasu." Itachi glanced to Naruto. "I think he's found an idol," he commented, nodding to the two male chestnuts.

Amaterasu was copying Kyuubi, tilting his head and arching his neck as the older horse did so. Itachi chuckled. There was never anything quite like watching young horses.

Naruto smiled softly at the young foal and had a feeling that Kyuubi knew Amaterasu was looking up to him. He could practically see the stallions ego inflating and he shook his head at Kyuubi.

They stood by the fence silently, watching the two mimic each other before Naruto tugged at Itachi's hand. He led him away, Kyuubi trailing after him and Naruto's fingers threaded together with Itachi's.

Once they reached his side of the property, he untacked Kyuubi and let the stallion trot away. Swinging the saddle over his shoulder, they walked back to the house where Lulu greeted them at the door. Naruto set the saddle on the railing and walked inside, cocking a finger for Itachi to follow him.

Naruto took a seat at the table and watched as Itachi looked around the kitchen for the kettle. He waited until the Uchiha walked over to before grabbing his wrist and pulling him away from it.

"No," he said. "No tea until you tell me exactly what happened. I want to know everything that went on from the time I left until now." He needed this as some sort of closure. It'd help him find the answers that he had been looking for the past two weeks.

Itachi winced. He'd have to relive the nights he spent alone, but he needed to. Naruto deserved to know and it was the least he could do.

"Deidara and I trained Susanoo for a bit in one of the fields while Kisame stayed inside. We came back... he was watching something on the TV and we heard someone pull up. We just assumed it was either you or Sasuke." Itachi's hands twitched. There was a good reason he usually had tea when having important conversations. It gave him something to focus on, something to distract from the words he didn't want to speak.

"We went to look as the horses sounded unsettled, wanting to be sure because there was a storm coming in and all. An associate of my uncle had Susanoo and the other took Deidara..." Itachi grit his jaw. He didn't like thinking of how he'd failed his friends and hurt them.

"Zetsu threatened to burn everything to the ground if we hesitated, animals included." Itachi glanced up, not knowing how Naruto was taking this. "We packed and left. I thought I'd be able to contact you, phone you or email you... something to explain why we'd gone."

Itachi took a deep breath, preparing for the next part of the story. "I returned home to find Madara waiting for me. He'd decided that you were a bad influence and I was never to see you again." His voice was bitter at that point and it was just the thought of the papers in Sasori's hands that calmed him from anger.

"I tried to contact you, every day, but none of it worked. He'd locked my email accounts and cut off international calls. The only place that I could have placed a call would have been his office, but he was always in there.

"It turns out he was involved in some shady business and didn't think to keep his voice down. I have files holding legal evidence against him and that's how I managed to take the company from Madara's hands. It's blackmail, yes, but take away the viper from a venomous snake and all they can deliver is a nasty bite. You'll live from it, and we'll live through whatever Madara thinks he can do." In a perfect world, Itachi probably should have turned Madara over to the police, but then he would have got off with a fine, maybe a light prison sentence, and be out and back in control, something Itachi couldn't have.

"I organised things the best I could and came here as soon as possible." Itachi smiled slightly, "I needed to see you, even if you hated me."

Naruto was silent as Itachi's words ran through his mind. He couldn't believe that someone would stoop that low. And while it seemed absurd that Itachi's uncle would do that, Naruto had to remind himself what Sasuke had been through.

It pained him to know that the man had such high expectations when it came to riding that he put that first before his own family. Only to turn around and deal with something illegal and disrespectful.

"I don't hate you," Naruto finally said softly. "What happened wasn't your fault. You can't choose your family or control their actions. If anything, I'm more mad at myself for not trusting you more like I should have."

He shifted in the seat slightly. "I didn't stop to think once I saw the empty rooms. I just assumed and never thought about other choices that would've made you leave. I'm sorry. I should've trusted you more."

Guilt swelled up inside of him and he felt horrible that he hadn't tried to see Itachi's reasoning for leaving. He stood up and moved to the stove to set the kettle on the surface.

Itachi watched Naruto go before standing up and resting his head on Naruto's shoulder.

"Don't be sorry. This had nothing to do with you and you don't have to be sorry." Itachi breathed in, smiling as the comforting scent of Naruto invaded his senses. "There are a million things I should have done, but didn't. It doesn't matter now, it's sorted out and I'm here to stay."

Itachi lifted his forehead up for a moment. "If you want me that is," he muttered, looking down at the floor and waiting for some kind of answer. Despite what Naruto had said so far, Itachi still wouldn't blame the blond for wanting to leave him.

Naruto stiffened and turned around to face Itachi. He grabbed the front of the light weight shirt and pulled the Uchiha closer. "If you even think about leaving again, I'll cut off your hair. You cannot leave." His head fell forward to rest on Itachi's chest. "Please don't leave me again.

He wouldn't be able to take it if Itachi left again. He knew that it wasn't Itachi's fault in the first place but the thought of Itachi leaving again tore at his heart and he grabbed at the shirt tighter.

Itachi wrapped his arms around Naruto and pulled him close.

"I'd look awful with short hair. I suppose I'll stay then," he commented lightly. Naruto pushed him back a little, checking whether it was a joke before smiling weakly.

They remained holding each other for a while, enjoying the feel of one another for the first time in weeks. Gone was the loneliness, the sadness and the guilt. Itachi felt lighter, knowing that Naruto still wanted him.

The shrill cry of the kettle had Naruto jumping and he moved to the side as Itachi started to prepare his tea. He took a seat at the table, feeling drained after everything that had happened today.

First the thing with Neji and then the new neighbors. Now Itachi was back and he didn't know what else to think anymore. He was glad that the Uchiha was back and living next door. It meant that they had a chance after all and wouldn't have to worry about an ocean separating them.

He looked up as the door opened and Sasuke walked back in with phone in hand. He looked as though he'd been holding back tears and Naruto cocked his head as Sasuke sat down, resting his head on his hands.

"I talked to my parents for the first time in eight years," he muttered. "They were so surprised to hear from me that dad dropped the phone when he heard my voice."

Itachi glanced over, subtly moving to one of the cupboards and collecting two more mugs. Even if they perhaps didn't like it, making tea in situations as these was so natural to Itachi that it felt odd not giving it to everyone.

Setting the mugs down on the table, Itachi hovered next to Sasuke. He took the phone from his brother's hand gently, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"I've invited them down for next week. If you'd like me to cancel then I don't mind, but I wanted you to see them." Itachi's voice was quiet, soothing in a way.

Sasuke shook his head and his hands circled around the mug. "No. I want to see them again. It's been far too long." His grip tightened. "I've missed them."

Naruto sipped at his tea and frowned slightly into the steam. He wasn't the only hurt by Itachi's vanishing act. Sasuke had been hurting too, only he had to hide it while he was comforting him.

He set the tea aside and stood up, wanting to give the brothers a chance to talk again. It wasn't fair to keep Itachi all to himself like this. He pressed a quick kiss to Itachi's cheek and moved toward the front door. "I'm going to check on Kyuubi," he said and let the door shut behind him.

Itachi watched the door for a moment before he moved to the other side of the table, sitting down opposite Sasuke.

They didn't say anything for a while, sitting and sipping at hot tea. There was nothing uncomfortable about the silence and Itachi was glad to be together with Sasuke for a while.

"I'm sorry to you as well," he said, smiling as Sasuke's head jerked up. "It's easy to say now, but we should have done more in those eight years. I'm just glad that I found you now." It sounded poor to Itachi's ears, but he could see that the words meant a lot to Sasuke.

"I just can't believe that uncle would go that far. Not just for me, but to bring you back as well. Threatening to burn down the ranch," Sasuke growled. "It's sickening."

He took a deep breath before sipping at his tea. Silence filled the kitchen again as they nursed their drinks before Sasuke turned to look out the window. Outside, he could see the clouds rolling in, promising for a steady rain later tonight.

"You had competition while you were gone." He said finally. "I'm sure you realized it while you were here, but there was someone else chasing after Naruto."

Itachi grunted. He should have thought about that too. "The teacher guy?" he asked briskly and Sasuke nodded.

"Is he still bothering Naruto?" Itachi asked, hoping that Sasuke would say yes.

Sasuke shrugged, "He'd been told to keep off the property. He said some pretty... nasty things today. Naruto was a little shaken up as he grabbed Kyuubi."

Itachi's jaw tightened. Anyone who would stoop so low as to use a horse as punishment was a horrible person. He'd had it done, to a degree, with Susanoo, but Zetsu had always been a horrible person in his mind. To Naruto, Neji had been a suitor. An unwanted one sure, but still.

Sasuke drained the rest of his tea and set the cup aside. "He's been helping us for the past few weeks, but today Naruto's patience was stretched too thin and he snapped." He smiled slightly, remembering the punch that Naruto had delivered to Neji. "There's no doubt in my mind that if Neji shows up anytime soon, Naruto will put a restraining order on him. No one messes with his horses."

A chuckle escaped his mouth and Sasuke found himself wishing that Neji would come back so Naruto could file a restraining order on him. If not, there was always the pellet gun. He wouldn't mind sitting on the porch waiting for a chance to shoot at the man.

Itachi raised an eyebrow, wondering what exactly had happened and cursing Madara again for not letting him be there.

"I wouldn't mind seeing that," he commented, shifting in his seat. Part of him wanted to go see if Naruto was okay and the other part wanted to stay here with Sasuke.

The part that wanted to see his brother won though, by a small fraction and he smiled across the table.

"We're moving horses over in the next few days so if you ever reach a point where you want to see what's going on, you're more than welcome to join in. A few of them you might recognise." Itachi drank the last of his tea. "Tsukuyomi's started breeding now. He's sired a few foals, a couple of which are colts and fillys now."

Itachi was referring to one of the older horses, a little older than Susanoo. He was around before Sasuke left, a little black colt.

Sasuke blinked, surprised that the little colt was now old enough to breed. He could only imagine what his offspring would look like. No doubt they'd be stunning, just like their father.

"I'd like that," he said softly. It would be nice to see the horses that he grew up with and see how they've changed over the years."I'm sure you'll be seeing us around a lot. Naruto will want to see the rest of the horses and see what its like to run a stud."

He stood up and picked up the two empty cups, setting them in the sink. "Are you staying at a hotel or at the house?" Sasuke asked, unsure if the old place was even ready to live in yet.

Itachi grimaced. "Everyone was going to be pretty much on site, but our furniture hasn't arrived just yet. We decided to have a look at some caravans and I decided to hire one. The others wanted to stay in a hotel and I said I wouldn't mind as long as I stayed back, watching the horses."

Itachi hated his caravan. It was a rickety thing with grim coloured furnishings, a too-springy bed and meagre cooking facilities. The furniture company had said they would be there that week, but Itachi was already sick of the caravan.

He couldn't leave, though, in case something happened to the horses. Maybe he could invite either Naruto or Sasuke down for a while, or get someone else to stay back and he could stay at the ranch for a little longer.

Sasuke chuckled. "That must be a little slice of heaven right there. It'll be even better tonight when it starts to rain." He grinned at the groan that left Itachi's mouth. "Of course, you could always stay with us again. You'd probably have to ask Naruto too, to be on the safe side since it is his house. But I don't think he'll mind."

He drifted over to the fridge, looking for something to make for dinner. Over the past few weeks, their meals had been light. Naruto wasn't hungry and truth be told, Sasuke couldn't stand to stomach heavy meals either.

But now that Itachi was back, his stomach was growling at him, demanding a better cooked meal than Campbell's soup. He waved Itachi away. "Go ask him while I find something to eat. We might have to go out for dinner tonight."

Itachi knew a dismissal when he saw one and left slowly, glancing back as he opened the door. In all honesty he'd expected Sasuke to break down, yell, cry, hug him... something that just screamed how he used to be as a child. Itachi gave a lopsided smile as Sasuke caught a can of something falling from a shelf he'd opened. He's missed is baby brother grow up, but he wouldn't miss anymore.

Unsure how exactly he'd go about asking Naruto if he could stay, Itachi wandered out of the house. Lulu wandered over from the porch, following him with a little bleat.

"I'm sorry to you as well," Itachi said, rubbing the goat's ears. She seemed to accept his apology and nibbled his fingers good-naturedly.

"I'm going to go find Naruto now, see you later," he offered and Lulu went back to her spot on the porch. Some people would call him weird for talking to the goat, but when you worked around animals, talking to them became second nature.

Outside, rain had started to fall on the ground in a light mist. The cooler weather had finally come to stay and the air around the ranch felt nice. It eased the horses and people who worked with them, making everything that had happened over the past few weeks fade away into the background.

The rain started to come down harder, making a steady beat on the barns roof. Naruto looked up at the noise and felt his lips twitch. Rain was always nice, making the pastures green again and that always made the cattle happy.

He glanced at Kyuubi who was shifting around in his stall, wanting to go outside and run in the rain. The stallion poked his head out through the window, snorting when rain droplets pelted his nose.

Naruto laughed at the chestnut's action. It seemed as though Kyuubi had forgotten all about Neji's actions earlier that day. Still, he had a suspicion that the next time Neji came by, Kyuubi wouldn't be too pleasant towards the man.

The sounds of footsteps made Naruto look up and he patted the spot next to him on the tack box, offering a seat to Itachi.

Itachi eyed Kyuubi over just before he sat down and offered a slight nod to the horse. While Lulu may be won over with a simple apology, Itachi could tell he'd have to suck up to the chestnut before he was in good books. Still, a Polo to start wouldn't hurt and Itachi fished one from his pockets, Kyuubi happily munching on the mint.

Itachi popped one in his own mouth and offered the packet to Naruto. Naruto took one and Itachi sat down, tucking the mints away.

"Sasuke said I should talk to you," he began, not wanting to breech Naruto's privacy. In a typical British fashion, Itachi would prefer to skirt around the subject rather than actually ask it.

"The furniture hasn't arrived and I'm living on site. He suggested something else..." Itachi chuckled weakly, still avoiding the subject.

Naruto arched an eyebrow at Itachi. He got what Itachi was trying to say and was slightly surprised that it was Sasuke who suggested the idea. He was under the impression that Sasuke would take a while to come around, but it seemed as though Sasuke had calmed down. Perhaps the talk with his mother had helped smooth things out.

Standing up, Naruto sighed and laced his fingers together behind his head. "I'm not sure," he muttered. "It's been a while and I'm already sharing my bed with someone else. She might get jealous if I have to kick her out."

Itachi shifted round in his seat, not caring that he was gaping at Naruto. What had happened when he was gone? Had Naruto missed him so much he was driven to the arms of someone else? What was the name of his friend... the one who had been subbed by Neji in their 'war'? Sakura? How dare she waltz in and steal Naruto when Itachi's back was turned!

"Eh?" was all he managed out however, rather than the beautiful speech of how he was the better choice, listing his virtues and (tastefully) slagging this woman at the same time.

Naruto gave a small smile. "Well, it was kinda sudden in all honesty. I happened to be out at the tack store and she was just sitting there on the railing. I sat down and started to talk to her, next thing I knew she was sitting in my lap and licking at my fingers."

He shrugged slightly. "I couldn't leave her after that and brought her home with me. She's been sleeping with me ever since." His fingers ran through his hair, ruffling up the blond locks more. He was silent for a second before coming to a decision. "I think you should meet her."

Itachi had curled his lip in disgust. Sure Naruto was nice... but to pick up someone who was likely a whore... way too far for kindness. Naruto had bloody well lost his mind!

"Um... I'd rather not," Itachi wondered how he could dispose of this cretin and have Naruto back for himself. He didn't even want to think about the fact she had licked his fingers. Only Itachi was entitled to that luxury, regardless of whether he wished to lick Naruto's fingers or not.

Itachi could see Naruto wouldn't budge on the subject and steeled himself to false smiles and greetings when he met this person. How could she get away with robbing Naruto of all he had, sucking him dry just because he was kind?

Itachi would take up his Saint Georgian sword and shield and tackle this dragon. He had his horses, all he needed was a trusty squire and he'd be the perfect knight. Sasuke could be coerced... he had some chocolate digestives that he could use as bribery. Sasuke used to love them and they weren't sold over here.

They walked back to the house and Naruto kicked off his boots excitedly. Sasuke glanced at them as they moved past the kitchen and Naruto paused. "Itachi's gonna meet Bon-Bon." he stated and realization dawned on Sasuke's face.

"You sure? She's a tough little girl, she'll fight to keep that spot in your bed."

Naruto waved his hand. "I'm sure they'll get along fine. You approved of her, in case you forgot."

Sasuke grunted and turned back to the stove where the soup was cooking. "Just don't drip water all over the floor."

Nodding, Naruto led Itachi upstairs, anxious to see his lady. He paused outside his door and turned towards Itachi, waiting for him to catch up. Inside the room, he could hear the faintest ruffling of sheets and blankets.

Itachi had stiffened at the name Sasuke had said. Bon-Bon? Definitely a hooker then, how could they not see it? And what was this about Sasuke being on her side? He knew Americans were odd, but had the world tipped on its side when he'd been gone?

Straining his ears, Itachi could hear the rustling of bedsheets. He frowned. Bon-Bon was still in bed? Well, she was a prostitute so he guessed she did only work at night...

Itachi waited as Naruto opened the door and squinted into the room. He couldn't see anyone and, upon further inspection, found the bed to be quite nice and tidy.

Save for one little bundle...

Itachi stopped over the bed in surprise, looking down, then to Naruto. What the hell was going on?

With a smile, Naruto dug into the blankets and pulled out a small black meowing bundle. It purred loudly at the sight of him and a little pink tongue came out to lick at the pads of his fingers.

Naruto turned towards Itachi and ran his fingers over the white patch of fur on the kitten's head. "This is my tough little lady, Blue Bonnet, or Bon-Bon for short. Although we sometimes call her Bonnet too," he paused and then tried to explain. "Cause Blue Bonnet's have a white top on their flower and she does too and yeah..."

He trailed off as Bonnet started to cry again, asking for food. He soothed down her fur and dropped onto the bed. The kitten tumbled from his arms and started to pad around the blankets before turning dark eyes onto Itachi.

"Do you like her?" Naruto asked and tugged on Itachi's wrist to bring him closer to the bed. He could only imagine how everything had sounded to Itachi and felt bad for letting him think that he had accepted someone else to his bed. He pressed a kiss to Itachi's cheek in order to ease the Uchiha and shifted closer next to him.

Itachi tilted his head as he studied the little kitten. Eyes stared at him and he felt strangely exposed. What was going through this little creature's head? Probably plans to kill him, Itachi realised, based on the glare he was receiving.

"Hey there," Itachi attempted, reaching a hand out slowly to the kitten. He thought he was safe and reached out to tickle the fur when teeth latched onto his fingers, claws grappling at his skin.

Itachi tried to pull his hand back and instead dragged the kitten onto his lap, feeling slight stings as tiny little claws attacked him. His attempt at bonding had, well, failed.

"Naruto, help!" he pleaded, trying to pull Bon-Bon (or Devil Cat as Itachi liked to think of the kitten now) off of his hand and instead facing more amazingly sharp teeth.

"Bonnet!" Naruto yelled out and wrapped his hands around the small body. He tugged lightly, not wanting Itachi to get more scratches. His fingers pulled at the fur behind her neck and with one last growl, the kitten let go.

Dark eyes stared back at Naruto as he dangled her in the air. Her tail was tucked up under her rump while her back legs were pulled close to her body. With a small mew, she begged forgiveness and pawed at the air.

Naruto sighed softly and set the kitten down in his lap. He massaged the velvet ears and scolded Bonnet lightly. "Be nice now Blue Bonnet," he stated, using her full name so she knew she was in trouble. "Itachi is going to be staying with us, so don't be mean to him."

He looked towards Itachi with a smile and he reached out to run his fingers through the dark locks. "And you're more than welcome to stay in here with me during the nights."

Itachi's expression brightened and he turned to Naruto. "Thank you," he whispered before moving up to kiss Naruto.

**.**

Instead he got a mouthful of fur and pulled away sharply. Bon-Bon was glaring at him again, dangling on Naruto's shoulder and using the very cheek Itachi had wished to kiss as a prop to get between them. The cat was pure evil.

"Look, we can share Naruto okay?" Itachi didn't mean that of course and was almost one hundred percent sure the kitten knew that fact... but it was worth a try. Unimpressed eyes looked back at Itachi and he ignored a chuckling Naruto in favour for bonding with the cat.

He needed to get on with the kitten!

An idea formed in Itachi 's head and he smiled nicely at the kitten, moving to cradle the little body in his arms. Little claws dug in, but luckily Itachi was able to bear the feeling.

"May I take your kitten for a little... learning experience outside? She'll like it, I promise." Itachi looked to Naruto, leaning in a little. He could feel Bon-Bon struggle in his grip, wanting more kisses (or to get between them, Itachi was more sure of the latter) and he quickly redirected his line of fire, kissing the kitten's head before moving back up to kiss Naruto.

Naruto's eyes fluttered closed at the brief contact. It ended quickly and he instantly wanted more, his hand coming out to grab onto Itachi's arm so the Uchiha wouldn't leave him. He shivered as Itachi ran a finger down his cheek and he finally nodded.

"Just don't kill her," he said softly and fell backwards on the bed. The blankets were warm and he curled up on them, watching Itachi leave with Blue Bonnet. They'd be back soon, and hopefully understanding each other better.

Once they had vanished from sight of Naruto, Bon-Bon instantly swung dark eyes up to Itachi, narrowing them. A low growl left her throat and her claws curled into pale skin, demanding that she be let down.

She was now strictly an indoor cat and after living outdoors in harsh conditions since birth, she didn't want to go back outside. As the front door came closer, she started to squirm more, crying out for Naruto to help her.

The noise only drew Sasuke out of the kitchen and he leaned against the wall, staring at the kitten. "You're not going to kill her are you, Itachi?"

Itachi smiled at his brother, tugging the jumper he had left by the door earlier on, placing an angry kitten inside and zipping it up, careful not to hurt Bon-Bon even though she clearly didn't share the same view.

It was still drizzling outside and Itachi decided to break into a run, holding the kitten carefully in his jumper. She was angry, but Itachi kept talking to her, reassuring her they'd be back with Naruto soon.

Passing his scummy caravan (that he could badger someone else into to watch the horses finally), he entered the main stable area and headed straight for Susanoo's box. As he'd hoped, she was in there and looked up curiously.

"Bon-Bon, meet Susanoo. 'Noo, meet Bon-Bon."

Dark eyes blinked at the large animal that stood before them. Black fur rose as a nose came closer and Bon-Bon dug her nails into the skin even more. Warm air made her fur ruffle and she relaxed slightly before leaning out of the coat a bit more.

Curiosity had grabbed a hold of her and she squirmed to get out of the fabric that kept her trapped. With a huff, the kitten freed herself and balanced carefully on the wooden door. Bonnet cried lightly and looked back and forth between the horse and human.

She didn't know what she was doing here and wanted to go back to Naruto. A low nicker from the gray horse drew her attention back to the mare and she jumped as a soft nose pressed against her sides.

Itachi looped a hand around the kitten's middle, plucking her easily from the door and transferred her to Susanoo's back. The horse wasn't bothered, but Bon-Bon mewed loudly, unsure of the height.

Itachi smiled kindly at her, "Naruto does this all the time. One day you might be able to come along with us."

Itachi leant towards the kitten conspiratorially. "Plus I bet Naruto wouldn't let you do this yet. I think you're big and brave like a lion, but he'd probably be too worried." Itachi noticed Bon-Bon relax a tad and hoped she would like him after all of this.

It had been a risk seeing if she wanted to go on Susanoo. Cats back in England had enjoyed the rides when they had been able to get them, but she was just a baby and it was very high. This could make their relationship or break whatever ground Itachi had managed to build up.

Looking down at the ground one last time, Bonnet sat down on Susanoo's back and pushed her nose in the air. She could take anything that was thrown at her and prove that she was brave enough.

She shifted slightly, wondering what they were going to. Underneath her, the large animal shifted and her tail fluffed out in shock. Jumping to her paws, she looked down at the coat and then to the human.

Soft hands soothed her ruffled fur and she relaxed once more on the coat. Purring, she arched into the touch and butted against the hand. It wasn't Naruto's but it was still a gentle touch.

"See I'm not all that bad. How about we have an adventure home? Susanoo's been dying to see the other horses so it's only fair." Itachi slowly led Susanoo out of the stable, watching Bon-Bon to see if he should stop at any point. The cat was on her feet, yes, but she seemed determined to stay up there.

Just as determined as her owner.

Susanoo stopped at the mounting block and Itachi joined the kitten, bareback and reinless. It allowed Itachi to be free at comforting the kitten, hands stroking her fur as they exited the barn. With slight foot motion, Itachi turned Susanoo around and locked the barn up. He could see one of his colleagues across the yard, wellingtons and mac on in the rain.

"I'm heading out," Itachi called over and the man nodded. "Would you stay on site tonight? I'll pay double, but I need someone to watch the horses."

After confirming that the man would stay, Itachi took his jumper off fully, wrapping it instead around Bon-Bon to keep her warm. While it was still quite humid out, the rain soaked through skin and fur to chill underneath.

With wide eyes, Bon-Bon watched the pastures move by. She buried further into the warm jacket but made sure that she could still see everything. Muscles rippled underneath her as the horse moved and she shifted with the movement.

A low cry left her mouth as she continued to look around at everything before tilting her head back enough to see Itachi. She cried again and sat down, pushing her body against Itachi's leg for better balance.

The lights from the ranch came into view and she squirmed as the horse was guided into the barn. They came to a stop and the jacket was removed, allowing her fur to fluff up in pride. She jumped to her paws again, crying happily at what she had done.

Bonnet placed her front paws on Itachi's leg, kneading it. While she still didn't want fully trust the man, she was willing to share Naruto for now. There was a mutual agreement and understanding between them; for now that would work.

Perhaps with time, they would finally bury their rivalry and become good friends. For now, she considered them mutual friends.

Itachi kept an eye on Bon-Bon as she explored the stall Susanoo entered, just as he dried his horse off. Neighs had already spread around the stable as Susanoo welcomed herself back, practically braying in excitement to see Naruto and Sasuke's horses again.

After he was done, Itachi bent down to Naruto's kitten. "We may have our disagreements I think, but we can get on. I'll even let you sleep in the bed some days... just as long as you respect our privacy."

Bonnet mewed in a way Itachi liked to think she agreed to that, but he couldn't be sure. He picked her up again, wrapping her in his jacket as they ran through the rain and back into the house.

Naruto had moved into the kitchen by this time and both him and Sasuke looked at the door as Itachi burst in, removing his shoes and setting Bon-Bon down on the ground.

"Glad to see that y'all both came back alive," Naruto commented. He frowned lightly and moved over to Itachi. "You're soaking wet."

He picked up Bon-Bon and set her in Sasuke's arms, letting the younger Uchiha fawn over the kitten. Sasuke tried to hide it, but Naruto knew that he was smitten over the kitten as well. Knowing that Bon-Bon would be in good hands, Naruto pushed Itachi back upstairs.

He was glad that the two seemed like they were getting along better and he hoped that it would stay that way. Although, he would rather cuddle with Itachi then Bonnet, he wasn't going to push the kitten away.

There would be nights where he'd have her sleep with Sasuke and then other times where she was welcome to sleep with him.

"Strip," he told Itachi once they were in his room again with the door shut firmly behind them. "You're soaked and you'll catch a cold."

Itachi turned to face Naruto, a small smirk on his face and an eyebrow raised. He caught Naruto's look though and promptly change his tact of seduction. The look Naruto was giving him wasn't one with intent... but more of a concerned one.

Still, that didn't mean Itachi had to play fair. He pulled his t-shirt up slowly, both arms pulling the wet fabric off of his torso. He turned so that his back faced Naruto and smirked to himself. Naruto was definitely looking now.

Itachi dumped the t-shirt on the floor, shaking his hands of water. For show, he tugged the hairband from his hair and ran a hand through, catching on tangles and smoothing them out. He made a show of looking for a mirror, half turning, before sighing and tying his hair back up.

And during that he'd let Naruto get a front view. Devious? Perhaps.

Sitting on the bed, Naruto gulped and his fingers twitched. He wanted to pull the Uchiha closer to him and trace his fingers up the pale skin. It had been too long since he'd been able to fell that body against his and he squirmed slightly.

He waited for Itachi to come a bit closer to the bed before grabbing the belt loops on his jeans. Tugging the man towards him, he smirked up at Itachi and let his fingers trace over the top of the fabric.

"Tease," he muttered and popped the button on Itachi's jeans. He yanked at the material trying to get the wet clothes off so he could pull the Uchiha down to join him on the bed.

Itachi stepped out of his trousers, tilting his head up as Naruto reached towards him. He stepped back a little, lips curling into a mischievous smirk.

"You know, it's a little chilly in here." Naruto looked at him as if he was an idiot. "There's a foolproof way to warm up."

Itachi's hands moved over the bed and to Naruto's shirt. He pulled the material up slightly, pausing and hooking fingers underneath, purposefully brushing the skin there. He managed to maneuver Naruto's clothes up to his chest before he kissed the blond.

Naruto smirked into the kiss as Itachi's fingers brushed over his skin. It made goose bumps appear on his skin and he shivered slightly. The shirt was discarded quickly before Naruto covered Itachi's lips with his own.

He arched into Itachi's fingers and tugged him closer. Their chests pressed together and Naruto shifted so the older male could rest between his legs. He lazily ran his fingers through the damp hair, combing out the tangles while his body warmed up Itachi's chilly one.

Itachi's breath caught in his throat as Naruto's hands moved through his hair. He closed his eyes with a smile, tilting his head back slightly and arching his neck. He felt lips press against the cartilage of his neck and cupped a hand to the back of the blonde's neck, smoothing upwards into the finer hairs.

"I missed you," he admitted, opening his eyes a little to meet Naruto's.

Naruto rested his head back against the bed and looked up at Itachi. His hands rose and pressed against the pale cheek, running his fingers over the skin softly. "I missed you too," he said. "You can't leave again. I won't let you."

Itachi moved forwards, leaning against Naruto and moving both of his hands to push Naruto's hair off of his forehead. He kissed Naruto's forehead, then the tip of his nose and then his lips, breaking apart a few seconds later and looking into Naruto's eyes.

"I won't. Never." Itachi raised an eyebrow, "I have a ten step plan to move in. I've started already, you'll have to wash my clothes so I'll always have a set here." Itachi paused. "My next step is toiletries. Socks are step five."

Naruto chuckled. "I can't wait to see what step ten is then and all the rest in between." He wrapped his arms around Itachi, drawing him closer and wanting to start on the next step already.

His stomach however chose to growl at him, reminding them both that dinner was downstairs waiting for them. The hot soup would be a welcoming relief to their hungry stomach's and would help keep the chill of autumn away.

"We'll get back to those steps in a bit," Naruto muttered and sat up. "Dinner first."

Itachi was a little miffed by the announcement of dinner, until his stomach growled and he admitted, begrudgingly, that dinner was a good idea.

"Come on then," he said, climbing off of Naruto and helping him up. "I don't suppose I can borrow something can I?" Itachi was a little taller and broader than Naruto, but it was much warmer here than back home so tighter clothes wouldn't be too bad. Plus, it would set up the next few stages for later over dinner.

Naruto nodded and dug through his drawers, pulling out some clothes that were too big on him. He passed them off to Itachi and got dressed himself, wondering if they could just eat dinner up in his room instead of downstairs.

He dismissed the idea, not wanting to leave Sasuke with just the kitten for company. Maybe after dinner they'd all sit down and watch a movie, just spend some time together. Naruto wasn't the only one who had missed Itachi.

They walked downstairs after changing and Naruto's stomach growled even more at the smell of chicken cooking.

Itachi licked his lips at the scent of dinner and inhaled a little more. "Smells good," he commented, bumping against Naruto's arm with his own and brushing their fingers.

They entered the kitchen to see Bonnet sitting on a chair, head tilted upwards to try and see over the table. Itachi took pity on her and wrapped a hand around her middle, settling her onto his lap so she could look at the table. She mewed happily, batting a paw at Itachi's knee and flicking her tail.

"I know. I think it's taking too long for him to serve up too." Itachi glanced at Naruto with a smirk as Bonnet mewed again. "Yeah, yeah... come on Sasuke!"

Again Bonnet meowed and Itachi nodded, stroking between her ears. "She's a clever little thing."

Sasuke grunted and handed a bowl to Itachi. "Don't spoil her. That's all we need is another spoiled animal on the ranch."

Naruto laughed and plucked the kitten from Itachi's lap, tickling her under her chin. "She's a Southern Belle, Sasuke. She deserves to be spoiled." He let Bonnet settle on his lap and ran a hand over her back, smoothing her fur done.

Waving a hand, Sasuke set the last bowl down. "Let's eat. It's been a long day and I'm sure we're all hungry."

Itachi couldn't agree more and he moved to eat, enjoying the home cooked meal. Lately all he'd had time for was quick meals like pasta or sandwiches, hardly a proper meal. It was nice to be back with Naruto and Sasuke too and he quickly crushed the little flare of sadness that thought of the time they were apart.

"I wanted to run a quick business proposition by you," Itachi said lightly, keeping his eyes down at his bowl. Naruto had mentioned something a while ago, but he hadn't had the resources before. But now that Itachi had moved next door...

"Maybe not at once, but in a few months, it could happen. I remember you, Naruto, mentioning that you would be interested in breeding a few horses. As a company we would be happy to invest in your business launch and take on the horses in our own premises... all under your name of course."

Itachi wanted to offer Naruto something, something that he had dreamt of even before they met. It was hardly a big offer - Uchiha had the stud right next door and what was one more block when you got a slight share in the profits? - but Itachi wanted it to mean something to both Naruto and Sasuke. He wanted them to be part of his business too.

Naruto peaked up, glancing at Itachi through the corner of his eyes. Across from him, he could see that Sasuke's eyes were focused on Itachi as well. The spoon was set down and he found that he couldn't form a proper sentence and turned to Sasuke hoping that the Uchiha could answer for him.

"I don't know Itachi," Sasuke spoke up, shaking Naruto from his stupor. "Breeding horses is a lot of extra work for our ranch. I don't think we can handle-"

He was cut off as Naruto threw a bread roll at his head. With a wide grin, Naruto turned to Itachi, missing Sasuke roll his eyes at his actions before taking a bite of the roll. "I think its a good business position. Perhaps not right now, but in a few months I'd definitely like to take you up on the idea."

Itachi nodded, taking another mouthful. "It's just a suggestion and we could work out specifics in the contract. As much as I hate to say it, I hardly get much contact time to spend with all of our horses, only my own. The general day-to-day work is done my my colleagues."

Itachi finished his dinner, taking another piece of bread and nibbling the edge.

"You shouldn't worry Sasuke," he smiled at his brother, "I'm not going to force you two to anything. You'll never have to worry about us trying to buy your land at any rate."

Itachi shrugged, slipping down a little in his chair and resting his hand on his stomach happily.

"Dinner was lovely," he said, nodding to Sasuke.

"Glad you enjoyed it," Sasuke answered and reached for his glass. It had been one of the better meals that they'd had since Itachi left. For the past few weeks, neither of them had been in the mood to make an actual meal and he was glad to be getting back into a normal flow of things.

Finishing his drink, he stood up and circled the table. He plucked Bonnet for Naruto's lap and carried her into the kitchen. "I made dinner, you get to clean up Naruto," he commented over his shoulder before offering a treat to the kitten.

Naruto snorted. "And he tells me not to spoil her." He brushed off the little strands of cat hair on his pants and stood up, reaching for the bowls. "Would you like dessert?" He asked.

Itachi shot up, grabbing his own bowl. He smiled sheepishly. "I'll help," he offered.

Ignoring the odd looks he was getting from Sasuke and Naruto, Itachi moved to the sink, placing his bowls on the worktop. It was a force of habit and he turned to face Naruto.

"I'm not washing them up though," Itachi saw Sasuke stroke Bonnet and moved to help clear the remainder of the table.

"Pudding would be lovely though." Itachi looked around, wondering what could be on offer. "What have we got?"

"Ice cream," Naruto chirped happily and set a bowl inside the dishwasher. "Some chips or cookies. We have jello, but no pudding."

He pulled out a clean bowl and set it aside for some ice cream for himself. Sasuke had gotten some chocolate chip cookie dough a few days ago and he couldn't wait to dig into the frozen treat. It seemed like it had been ages since he'd had some ice cream.

"Anything sound good to you?" he asked. "If not we could probably make a grocery store run. Get some pudding if you want."

Itachi resisted the urge to chuckle. "I guess I need to clarify. We usually call dessert pudding, even if it's something like ice cream. Dessert's more formal, more restaurant-y. Pudding... it's warm." Itachi smiled. "Definitely warm."

He didn't dare look at Sasuke, knowing his brother would think him crazy.

"As for what to eat... can I have some jello?" The word was formed oddly and Itachi felt a little stupid for adding the 'o' on the end. He'd never had specific jello before... jelly, yes - and plenty of it - but he was quite eager just to say he'd had jello. A strange quirk.

"Sure." Naruto moved to the refrigerator and poked around. "Would you like a star shaped one or just some squares?" he asked pulled out the bowl and tray that the stars were sitting on.

"No!" Sasuke called out from the other room, making him halt in his steps. "Those stars are mine."

Naruto arched an eyebrow and turned back around, placing the tray back on the shelf. "Okay then, you get little wiggly cubes for...pudding?" His eyebrows furrowed, trying out the new word.

Itachi rounded on Sasuke with a frown. "Wait a second here, why can't I have a star?" Sasuke glared at him.

"I'm the guest!" he protested, ignoring Sasuke's darkening look. "Everything tastes better in a star shape and it's only one. How many star-jellies have you had Sasuke? Maybe you should lay off of them for once."

"It takes a lot of work to make them into that shape," Sasuke growled and stood up to make sure that Itachi didn't try to snatch a star while his back was turned.

Naruto snorted. "You use a little cookie cutter to make them, Sasuke. One wouldn't kill you."

The younger Uchiha huffed and pouted slightly. "But I like my stars."

Naruto waved him off and set another cube inside the bowl for Itachi. "Fine, fine. They're your stars. Itachi can have plain old cubes." He set the bowl down in front of Itachi and leaned over to whisper in his ear. "I'll sneak a star for you later tonight."

Itachi glared at Sasuke, hiding the smile that had cropped up at Naruto's words. He'd get his star yet.

"I have animal shaped cutters. Just see what I'll do when you come demanding a duck shaped one." It was a childish jibe, but Sasuke deserved it. "Naruto you can have as many as you like."

He took the spoon Naruto had fetched for him and cut a circle into the surface of the jelly, swirling the spoon delicately. He tipped the spoon into his mouth, crushing the jello against the roof of his mouth and swallowing.

"It's lovely," he said. "It would have been better in a star," he muttered and Naruto passed by, kissing him on the head soothingly.

Sasuke huffed and moved out of the kitchen after making sure that Itachi was content with his plain cubes.

Naruto chuckled at the actions and dug into his ice cream. The cool treat melted on his tongue and he bit down on the pieces of cookie dough. He tried to pace himself, not wanting to get an ice cream headache.

"Any plans for tomorrow?" He asked Itachi, wincing slightly as a small headache started to tingle.

Itachi swallowed his mouthful, "General setting up plans... a few more horses are arriving tomorrow and I have to go through any outstanding documentations." Itachi broke off and smiled. "Kisame and Deidara should be back tomorrow though. If it's okay with you two I'll send them over?"

Itachi hoped that he wasn't pushing his luck by bringing Kisame and Deidara into the equation. His friends had missed Naruto and Sasuke a lot too.

Naruto smiled. "That sounds like a good idea. It was fun having them over, never a quiet moment." He laughed and shoved the last spoonful into his mouth before standing up. It would be a while before they could all just relax together like they had before Itachi left, but it was still worth it.

Even if they were going to be busy, Naruto was just glad that he could come back home and be able to see the man again.

Itachi stood up, an idea forming in his mind.

"I'm just going to go grab an over night bag," he muttered, ignoring the frowns the statement received. No doubt Naruto would try to keep him here, but it was of utmost importance that he made a quick stop back to the stud.

"But," Naruto started and tried to reach out for Itachi's shirt to keep him from leaving. He missed by a few feet and listened to the front door slam shut before silence filled the house again.

He huffed and sat back down on the chair. "He's so not getting a star jello tonight," he muttered to himself.

**.**

Itachi moved down the path that took him to his stud, jogging along the dirt track and opening the gate that split their lands. His caravan was unlocked and he waltzed in, grabbing a few toiletries.

There was one more place he had to stop before he went back and Itachi locked his caravan, walking to the main block of stables. He greeted the few people still around and said goodnight to the horses before slipping into the tack room.

There was one thing he had to pick up, two really, and they had taken him a while to muster up courage to get.

With a smirk on his face, Itachi left for Naruto's house again, a long coat covering him to keep the chill of the night out and bag slung over his shoulders.

When the screen door slammed shut behind Itachi, Sasuke looked up at him from the couch. "Naruto went upstairs to shower," he said and turned the page in the book he was reading. On his stomach, Bonnet slept in a tight little ball, rising and falling with each breath he took. "I'll keep her with me tonight, in case you happen to roll over on her in the middle of the night."

He smirked at Itachi while his eyes danced with amusement. He didn't like to think about what his brother and best friend might be doing tonight, but it didn't mean that he couldn't tease Itachi about it.

Itachi nodded gratefully, hardly concealing the smirk he still wore. "I'd appreciate that. My sleeping patterns are a little erratic at the moment and crushing Bonnet isn't on my to-do list." He snorted at the subtle suggestion, "Speaking of to-do lists, I'll probably see you in the morning, though if I were you I'd knock, just to err on the side of caution."

Itachi could only imagine his brothers face as he turned to walk upstairs, bare feet cool against the wooden steps.

He could hear the shower running and took a deep breath, entering Naruto's room and making sure it was firmly shut. He placed his bag on the floor and slipped the coat off, hanging it up in Naruto's wardrobe. It wasn't strictly his coat, but Kisame hadn't asked any questions when he'd asked to borrow it before setting out on the flight here.

The air in the room was chilly and Itachi avoided the urge to rub his skin in an attempt to keep warm. Naruto would be done soon and there was very little doubt they'd soon warm up.

The shower turned off and a few minutes passed before Naruto stepped back into the room, steam escaping the small room behind him. The blond was muttering to himself about denying Itachi a star jello while drying off his hair with a towel. He huffed and tossed the towel over his shoulders before looking for some clean boxers.

He froze when his eyes settled on bare feet and they slowly trailed up the leather covered legs. He gulped, eyes darting up to look at Itachi's face before a smirk formed on his lips.

Tying the towel around his waist, he sauntered over to the other male and circled around him slowly. His fingers trailed over the top part of the leather, brushing over skin until he finally stood in front of Itachi again.

"I do believe that you'd make a mighty fine cowboy," he drawled, hooking his fingers through the belt and pulling Itachi closer. "You're just missing a hat."

"Well howdy there, partner," Itachi drawled in an awful accent, rocking his hips slightly. "I got a call from the sheriff who mentioned there may be a bit of trouble starting up here, says he wanted his best man down here in case of emergency." Itachi smirked, raising an eyebrow and looking into Naruto's eyes.

He hung his head a little a beat later, chuckling and shaking his head. "Excuse the awful imitation of a Texan native there," he said, moving his hands around to rest on Naruto's shoulders. "And I know technically you should be in my chaps right now, but I suppose it's only fair, eh?"

Itachi had spent the better half of a week looking for the right pair of bottom-less chaps in his free time, in desperate hopes that Naruto may take him back if he did something like this. The reality, now, was far better than he'd imagined.

Naruto's hands snaked down from Itachi's hips to his ass and grinned. "I do think its only fair. You've seen me already in a pair of these, I believe its my turn now." He pressed a kiss to the underside of Itachi's chin. "And I must say, you look very sexy in them."

His mouth trailed down Itachi's neck, lips brushing lightly over the pale skin and drawing small goosebumps to the surface. The smell of horses filled Naruto's nose and he sighed happily, moving up to press his lips against Itachi's.

Itachi inhaled sharply as Naruto kissed him and he moved his head up a little, pushing their kiss deeper and brushing their noses together. The parted for a split second and air rushed into Itachi's lungs, adrenaline coursing through his body with every beat of his heart.

Itachi pressed against Naruto's chest, his skin warming as their bodies met. Naruto's towel slipped from his shoulder, leaving a damp strip of skin, hairs raised at the surface. Itachi's eyes raked over the skin before he bent down slightly, pressing his lips to the flesh and moving his tongue against muscle and bone, soothing the chill out.

Naruto shivered under the wet feeling and took a careful step back, taking Itachi with him. His arms looped around Itachi's hips, resting on his back, right above the belt of the chaps as they took another step backwards.

His legs bumped against his bed and he sat down on the edge, pulling Itachi down with him. He glanced up into dark eyes while his fingers rubbed idly at Itachi's stomach, feeling the hard muscles twitch under his touch.

Itachi's skin prickled with every touch Naruto made and his eyes softened as Naruto looked to him. Whether he was seeking reassurance or permission, Itachi didn't know, but he shifted up a little, kissing Naruto's forehead and running a finger over the side of his cheek and down to his chest.

He tilted his head back and into one of the pillows, hair pooling over the light-coloured sheets as Naruto continued his ministrations. Cracking an eye open, Itachi could see the heated look on the blonde's face and he hooked a finger under his chin, pulling him up a little.

Their lips met again and Naruto's eyes fluttered shut, enjoying the simple contact. It was a lazy kiss, nothing demanding or harsh, but it still managed to leave him panting when they broke apart.

His fingers fell to the belt holding the chaps up and he glanced to Itachi one last time before slowly working the leather through the buckle. The soft clinging of metal joined the sounds of their harsh breathing until the belt was undone.

The leather was tugged at gently, pulling them down and revealing more pale skin. The chaps dropped to the ground with a plop and the metal made one last sounding noise before Naruto was straddling the pale, naked hips.

Itachi's vision clouded as Naruto straddled him and his whole body shuddered. He hadn't been this close to Naruto since they had been together in the wood and the memories of that night came rushing back.

There was one difference now though. Now, they were bathed in light and instead of Naruto covered in silver ribbons, pale yellow covered every inch of his skin, defining every part of Naruto as... well, Naruto. Itachi had never seen anyone look so amazing in electric lighting before.

His hands moved to Naruto's hips, pushing him down a little as he rocked up. White fingerprints bruised the flesh on Naruto's waist, but Itachi could tell Naruto was far from any discomfort.

Naruto moaned lowly and he rocked back against Itachi. Heat rushed through his body and he could feel his heartbeat pulse through him. He lowered his body so their chests brushed against each other and trailed his fingers over Itachi's sides.

Their hips moved slowly together, brushing their erections together and drawing low moans and gasps from both of them. Itachi's fingers tightened around his waist and his fingernails pushed harder into his skin, making Naruto shiver. The slight bite of the nails had his eyes sliding shut and he nipped at Itachi's neck, wanting to leave a mark of his own.

The older male underneath him was his and he didn't want to let Itachi go again. "My 'Tachi," he murmured against the sweaty skin.

Itachi leant into Naruto's teeth as they grazed his neck. "Always," he whispered, sweat beading on his skin and smoothing their contact. Their constant pushing motions ceased for a moment as the rhythm broke, and in those few moments as Naruto shifted, panic loomed into Itachi's chest and he moved upwards, arms locking around Naruto's back as he pulled him into his lap.

"Never let me leave," he whispered into Naruto's ear, catching the skin of his lobe with his teeth and licking the skin. "Chain me down if you have to, but never let me leave."

Shivering, Naruto nodded and held onto Itachi. He didn't know what he would do if he lost Itachi again and the thought of chaining him up to keep that from happening was very possible. He'd fight tooth and nail to keep Itachi here, no matter what.

He leaned down to press his lips against Itachi's, wanting close contact again. He craved Itachi's touch and he arched into the hands that ran down his back, drawing him closer.

Itachi turned his head a little, moving to trail his tongue against Naruto's jaw, dipping down to his jugular. He kissed Naruto's skin, enjoying the taste of Naruto and the pulse beneath the skin. He moved back up and kissed Naruto deeply, savouring their kiss.

Slipping his tongue between Naruto's teeth, Itachi curled his tongue a little, brushing against Naruto's. He smirked as Naruto's hands gripped at him a little tighter and angled his head a little, drawing back to test if Naruto would seek him out. A blue eye stared at him as he did so, Naruto moving with Itachi until they were lying on the bed once more, Naruto's legs on either side of Itachi's hips.

Fingers brushed over sweat slicked skin as their bodies rocked against each other. Naruto's mouth trailed down Itachi's neck, pressing soft kisses to the skin. He could feel Itachi's heart racing as they continued to move and he held onto the Uchiha tighter.

Pleasure raced through his body and he groaned as Itachi bucked his hips up against his, making his eyes close at the feeling.

Panting, Itachi rolled his hips, smiling lazily as Naruto inhaled sharply. Not matter how much they had been through, Itachi knew he would always be able entice this reaction from Naruto.

And the thought that Naruto could invoke the same reaction from him sent thrills darting to his groin. Without a meaningful intention, he rolled his hips upwards a shudder ran through his body as his erection pressed closely to Naruto's, friction building between them.

"Tease," Naruto panted, his mouth falling open to suck in more air. He was teetering close to the edge already and with each roll of Itachi's hips into his, he grew closer and closer. He let his fingers slide down Itachi's chest and stopped at a hard nipple.

Naruto glanced up at Itachi as he pinched and rolled the small nub, enjoying the sounds that left the Uchiha's mouth. He gasped as Itachi bucked harshly and his toes curled at the feeling.

Behind his eyelids, Itachi could feel the build up approaching, and by the sounds Naruto was emitting, he was too. He reached a hand around the back of Naruto's head to gently tug at the blond hair, kissing Naruto softly, something more suitable for an honourable, slow romance.

Warmth flowed through his limbs and Itachi's other hand moved over taunt skin, downwards past curls of hair and to take them both, increasing the ecstasy. It was hard to keep his hand steady and Itachi groaned into Naruto's mouth, bumping his lip against teeth.

Naruto moaned into the kiss, the feeling of Itachi's hand on his length sending pleasure racing through his body. He rocked into the hand and choked out Itachi's name as his orgasm rushed over him.

His body shook and his head dropped to rest next to Itachi's, panting heavily into the Uchiha's neck. His hips still rolled slightly with Itachi's as he rode out the feeling, eyes closing as he held onto Itachi.

Itachi's breathing was heavy as he held Naruto to him. Lights still danced behind his eyelids and he kissed the side of Naruto's head, nuzzling slightly. They were messy, sticky and sweaty, but Itachi felt no urge to get up and wash just yet. Naruto was here and in his arms, and he didn't want to change this for the world.

They moved down a little, settling on the bed for a brief moment. Their limbs were still entangled and neither of them felt like moving any time soon. For itachi, it was the first time he had been fully relaxed in weeks and he savoured the feeling.

Sighing softly, Naruto relaxed against Itachi as his breath came back slowly. He was scared to move, worried that if he left Itachi's arms, then he would wake up and find out that this had all been a dream.

Itachi's grip tightened slightly around his body and Naruto opened his eyes, looking up at Itachi's face. The man was still there and he let his head fall back against the pale chest, convinced that Itachi would be there still in the morning.

Itachi pulled the covers up over them, wriggling his toes a little to try and pull it up. He managed to, with one arm, pull the covers over the two of them, tucking them slightly around Naruto.

"Don't panic if you wake up and you're alone. Your cat might have eaten me in the night." Itachi kissed Naruto's head, "I may have gone to get you breakfast. And if you're not here and I'm awake, I'll assume you're in the toilet. We're not going to panic, okay? We're both here, both staying here..."

Itachi pulled Naruto closer, if possible, and snuggled his head into the pillow.

Naruto mumbled an agreement and let the strong arms hold him tightly before drifting off to sleep, knowing that Itachi would be there in the morning.

**.**

The sun bounced off the water, sending its reflection dancing across the surface and up into the window. Naruto glanced down at it, squinting lightly at the bright rays. His leg bounced up and down in a nervous manner and he looked away from the window as a hand patted his leg.

He gave a small smile to Itachi and leaned back in his seat, trying to calm his nerves. His fingers laced together with Itachi's and he felt the Uchiha squeeze them lightly. It helped only a little and within seconds, his leg was bouncing again.

"I'm gonna go check on Susanoo," he said and went to stand up but was pulled back down into his seat by Itachi. With a huff, Naruto took his seat and tried hard not to think, but found it hard. "Aren't you nervous?" he finally asked.

Itachi looked to his lover and smiled. "Not really. We're here for ourselves and Susanoo... besides, it was him who offered. I know you've never heard nice things about him, but Madara's... mellowed a little. And I take full blame if he's rude to you," Itachi added, hoping his uncle would at least curb his tongue. He seemed to accept that Itachi was staying with Naruto, especially as the stud was becoming ever more well known and popular and it was just peaking its third year of being open in America.

"Sir, we'll be landing at Gatwick shortly. A horsebox is already prepared and the airport vet waiting to check Susanoo's papers."

Itachi nodded to the flight attendant before squeezing Naruto's hand.

They had decided a while ago to visit England together one time and Itachi had a call from his uncle, replying to one Itachi himself had taken about breeding Susanoo. Itachi had mentioned he'd be taking a trip back to England to get Susanoo pregnant, confirm the pregnancy and then head back. Naruto had then suggested they go together, something Itachi was only too happy to agree to.

Sasuke had declined going this time, having already returned home once last year while Madara was gone. But once he found out that the man was going to be at the stud, he had decided to stay at the ranch.

Out of the Uchiha family, it was Madara that made Naruto the most nervous as land started to appear below the plane. He still hadn't forgotten what the man had done to both Itachi and Sasuke and wondered how Madara was even related to the rest of the Uchiha's.

He had meet Fugaku and Mikoto a week after Itachi came back to the states and found them to be nice, normal people. Sure Fugaku was a little rough around the edges but most dad's were like that. And after a day on the ranch, he had loosened up.

After meeting Itachi's parents, Naruto swore up and down that Madara was an alien in disguise. Sent from a planet of people against Western riding in the guise of human form. Because there was no way that he could be related, at all, to them.

The plane started its descent and Naruto closed his eyes, mentally preparing for the upcoming meeting. And wishing that security would've let him take a paintball gun with him on the airplane, just as a precaution.

They passed through customs and the necessary legal checks quickly. Susanoo was loaded onto the next horsebox after being stretched out and both Naruto and Itachi sat in the front cabin with the driver.

"It's nice to have you back Itachi," he commented, smiling at Naruto as well. "We had the master suite in the outhouse made up for you. Mikoto and Fugaku are expecting you for dinner tonight," the driver said, pulling out onto the motorway and driving them back to West Grinstead.

Itachi pointed out little parts of his childhood as they drove closer and closer to the Stud.

"There's just two straight roads, pretty much, now. We have to pass through a small village and there's a shop that we can easily get to if we need anything."

Itachi watched the familiar settings come alive around him. He loved his stud in Texas, but there was nothing like coming back to his roots, passing through Cowfold. He made a note to take Naruto to one of the local pubs, the Hare and Hounds perhaps, or maybe the Bull inn. The latter was a little further and less traditional, but it would be an experience for them either way.

They reached the gates and Itachi smiled as Naruto stared at the long drive up to the main house. It was a reaction he was used to from people who had no idea that an old English stud farm could look so stately. A few horses were in the fields closer to the gate and they pricked their heads up, curious to see what was happening.

Blue eyes swept over the horses that stood near the gate, silently looking over their beauty and he leaned forward more. Their ears perked at him and Naruto itched to get out and see a few of them up close.

They came to a stop outside the barn and he hopped out, shivering in the cool air. He moved to help Itachi with Susanoo and laughed as the mare pranced around happily, glad to be home.

He ran a hand down her neck, calming her down before following Itachi inside the barn. No doubt Madara was waiting inside for them and Naruto could feel his heart starting to race again.

Itachi settled Susanoo into her bed. She was stabled next to the stallion they hoped to sire her foal from, but she couldn't see the horse. Itachi moved round to look at him quickly and an inky black head popped up, sniffing the two people before him.

"I thought you were perfect," Itachi said. He patted the stallion's neck before looping an arm around Naruto's waist and moving them from the stable yard, greeting a few other horses as they walked towards the main house.

"Don't worry," Itachi muttered, kissing Naruto's cheek. He could sense the nervousness Naruto felt and guessed it had something to do with meeting his uncle.

"This is where I grew up." They entered the main house and were almost instantly joined by Mikoto, who had been loitering by the window, looking out for them to enter the house.

"Naruto! Itachi! It's been too long since we last saw you. Dinner's on the table already, but Madara just wanted to have a quick word."

Itachi made to walk upstairs when he heard a chuckle. "Not you, he wants to speak to Naruto. You're about to get an earful for not calling enough, and your father wants to know something less interesting... business related I think."

Mikoto tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear before kissing Naruto's cheek. "Welcome to our home, it's just up the stairs and the fourth door on the left."

Naruto paled and looked between Itachi and Mikoto. Surely they weren't going to let him go into the snake pit all alone. His face fell at Itachi's nod and gentle push in the right direction. He thought about digging his heels into the ground and fighting the whole way to the study, but it would be rude and he wasn't brought up that way.

Swallowing his fear, he walked up the steps and turned down the hallway, silently counting doors. His fingers brushed against the pocket knife in his front pocket before knocking on the door. He really doubted that he would need it, but it made him feel better having it.

From what Sasuke had told him before they left, Madara was crazy.

A voice on the other side of the door called him in and he walked in carefully, shutting the door behind with a soft click. His eyes fell on the man seated behind the desk and he walked forward, silently eyeing the man before him.

He certainly looked like an Uchiha, but then again, alien disguises could be tricky and one could never be too sure.

"Hello," he said and held out his hand. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki."

"In the flesh and all." Madara stood up, inspecting the boy before him with a scowl. He ignored the offered hand and instead walked to join Naruto on that side of the desk. He was taller than the blond and drew closer, resisting the urge to smirk as blue eyes darted around, uncertain where to look.

"I suppose you've heard many rumours about me," he muttered, reaching for a glass of water that sat on his desk. Naruto fidgeted for a moment, and Madara blinked. Was this kid's impression of him really so bad?

Madara still had a grudge against Western riding, it was something he was going to hold onto desperately for his whole life, but when Fugaku and Mikoto had returned from Texas, they had changed. They had shouted, threatened to leave the business and their shares, and they had been terrible nights.

Madara wasn't afraid to admit that he changed in those few months, and while he may not like the fact this kid was American and rode the wrong way, he recognised that Itachi - and the rest of his family - had changed a lot due to this one ranch owner.

"Uh," Naruto said intelligently. It was a trick question and he wasn't sure how to answer it. Finally, he decided that it'd be best to just answer with the truth. "I've seen what you've done and what you're capable of doing."

His eyes narrowed at the thought of what Madara had done to this family, by sending Sasuke away and trying to take Itachi back. It still made him grind his teeth whenever he thought about it and the urge to punch Madara in the face was strong.

"What is it about Western riding that you don't like, or is just me?" Naruto asked. Either option seemed childish to Naruto but he wasn't going to tell that to Madara.

"Both, really." Madara shrugged the question off. "But what I feel isn't really the issue. I'm held into being nice, well, tolerable at best, by a legally binding contract."

Madara nodded his head towards the plush chairs further in the room.

"Would you like a drink?" he offered, walking to the liquor cabinet and pouring himself a whiskey. He poured one for Naruto anyway, handing him the crystal cut glass and swirling his own. Madara may have been tied down, but he didn't have to suffer. Small things, like his drink in a nice glass, made him happy.

"I had a friend. My best friend. I'd grown up with him and he was like a brother to me." Madara swirled his glass again, taking his seat opposite Naruto. "My family had always run this stud and were getting to be known in all the right circles. Even so, I wasn't a rider. I could ride well, but never good enough to champion anything."

Madara's lips tightened. It was one of his biggest regrets that he made a better stud manager than a rider. He had the right eye for business and choosing the right horses, but at the end of the day, his riding would never win him awards.

"My friend on the other hand... he was amazing. He barely had to try and the competition leagues were signing his name to the first place spot. You just mentioned his name in connection to something and people would be betting he'd win first place." Madara smiled at the memory. "He was so happy, and so was I."

He looked up at Naruto, "I loved him, yes." He sipped his drink before setting it on a small table beside the chair. He folded his hands over his lap.

"And do you know what he did? At the height of his career, one step away from entering the Olympics?" Madara picked up his drink and swallowed the rest of the contents bitterly. They burnt down his throat, not near enough a distraction to take away from the bite of pain Hashirama had caused him. "He left. He left all his horses behind, the ones my family had helped him train, the horse I had bred for him... he left it all."

Even after all these years, Madara could remember running to the Senju house, eyes wide. Izuna had been the one who said a message was left on the phone and he had gone straight over, the back way through hedges and over fences, to find that his friend, the man he loved more than anything, had upped and left without a single care.

"We saw him at a national event, years later. My brother - Izuna - was riding, but he had a fall in an event and ended up breaking his collar bone. We were by the medical team when he came up to us, as if nothing had changed, as if we were still friends. Seven years without a single word and you know what he does?" Madara didn't wait for an answer, "He says 'hi'. Nothing more, just a 'hi', before telling us he's competing in the Western classes."

It wasn't a horrific tragedy, it wasn't a moment that unearthed his whole life, but it had struck Madara deeply.

"He left everything for Western, despite the number of times he'd said he would never change what he did. He didn't even take his horse with him, the horse that I had helped breed for him. And..." Madara took a deep breath. He hadn't told any of this to his family before, even though they knew of it. "That hurt. We both loved him and he simply turned a shoulder without any word of goodbye."

Naruto cocked his head at Madara, trying to process everything and make heads or tails of it. His mind was having a hard time wanting to wrap around the idea that the man had kept a grudge for so long.

He understood the pain that Madara must have felt during that time but to hold it for so long seemed a little over the top. Blue eyes regarded the eldest Uchiha and he wondered if it was the whole story.

No doubt there was a reason why the man left and decided to take up western. Naruto was willing to bet that part of it was Madara's fault, but he pushed the thoughts aside.

"I'm not going to apologize, because I know you don't want my pity; I'd just be wasting my breath," Naruto stated and crossed his arms across his chest. "Although maybe now you can understand how I felt when you spirited Itachi back to England without a word."

Three years and the subject was still a sore one for Naruto. It was hard for him to just forget it, knowing that their future could've turned out so much different. He wouldn't trade the past three years for anything and it was hard to think about it without Itachi in his life.

Madara raised an eyebrow. "I'm not going to apologise for that. I did what I believed was right... you'd known each other for a week or so. You were a distraction to Itachi having everything he wanted."

Madara stood up, "But since then I suppose you could say I've mellowed. I know Itachi wouldn't have been able to do a lot of things without you. While it pains me to say it, perhaps I can allow myself to like you."

That said, Madara moved to his desk, stony face in place and frown worn proudly.

"I have something for the two of you. Itachi doesn't know it yet and I would ask you to sign it here and now, but you're supposed to talk about these things." Madara shoved a stack of papers at Naruto, holding onto them a little longer.

"They're to pass my shares in the company to you. I'm retiring and Shisui, Itachi's cousin, is taking over this branch. As Itachi knows, Shisui has his own shares in the company and that I have more than enough money to remain comfortable here. What Itachi doesn't know, though, is that I want you to have them." Madara wasn't apologising for what he'd done in the past, but he wanted Naruto to know his opinion of him had changed. A little.

"You seem to be converting everyone in my family anyway so you might as well join us all legally. It's just conforming to the inevitable, really." Madara sighed heavily. Even so, he was sure that he wasn't exactly fooling Naruto.

"Go on then, you're probably hungry. They've cooked up a feast by the sounds of it and it'll be a shame to ruin their hard work." Madara watched as Naruto stood.

"I..." Naruto fumbled with his words, trying his best to form a sentence and failing horribly. Finally, he slammed his hand down on the desk, covering up the papers that Madara had been trying to hand him and pointed his other hand in Madara's face. "I knew it! You are an alien!" He shouted.

He backed up, taking slow steps out of the room while still pointing a finger at the man. His back pressed up against the door and he fumbled for the doorknob before slipping out of the room.

Once free of the room, he shut the door and quickly trotted down the hallway. He knew that there was something wrong with Madara but this just clinched it.

He shook his head and moved down the stairs, following his nose into the dinning room. Several dishes were already set out and his empty stomach growled at him, demanding food.

"'Tachi?" he called out, wondering where everyone was. The dinning room was empty and he really wanted to tell someone that Madara was an alien.

Itachi poked his head out of the kitchen and beamed at Naruto. "Sorry, I'll be there in a minute. My parents said the dinner's all ours and they're eating in the lounge."

Itachi walked out of the kitchen, two dogs trotting merrily behind. The German Shepherds looked at Naruto before bounding over, tails wagging happily at the new person.

"Just had to get them in. They won't bother us over dinner, I'll send them to pester my mother and father. Making us eat in here while they get the comfy sofas? Not fair in my opinion." Itachi shooed the dogs off, "They'll be moaning at the door in a bit, even though they've already eaten."

Itachi looked at Naruto. "Are you okay?" he asked, worried that Madara had said something horrible.

Naruto shook his head. "Your uncle is an alien. And I have proof this time," he declared.

Last time Itachi had found the idea funny but had firmly stated that Madara was indeed a human. "Madara was being, being nice to me. Well, not at first but then he started saying things and it just turned weird. I think you need to take him to see the doctor, he's not well."

With a huff, he dropped into the chair and stared at the food. It was easier to focus on the delicious smelling food than Madara at the time. "How about we eat and then we can talk about it later?"

Itachi shook his head in slight confusion, the smile he wore unable to be hidden.

"I really don't think he's an alien, but we can eat if you'd prefer." Itachi moved around the table to his own chair, looking at the numerous bowls and plates on the small table.

"Well... it seems that my mother's been busy cooking. We have a feast fit for about ten people here so don't feel obliged to eat it all." Half of the food was unrelated to each other and Itachi was half convinced they'd just been served left overs of what was in the cupboards or fridge.

"How about your first proper English riding lesson tomorrow?" Itachi said as they began to tuck in.

"Sounds good," Naruto answered and popped a piece of roll into his mouth. "I don't offer any promises though, just don't laugh." He smiled at Itachi, knowing that it would probably be slightly humorous to the Uchiha.

He shoved another piece of food into his mouth and happily. "This is really good. Now I know where you get your cooking skills."

Itachi smiled, "You say that to my mother and she'll probably kiss you. Apparently we don't appreciate her enough... I have a feeling she'll want to adopt you at some point. Just say no, it's not worth the hassle."

Itachi reached for more food. Travelling always made him hungry and having something that was made by his mum was very much welcome. He loved Naruto and Sasuke's cooking, of course, but there was nothing like having a home cooked dinner by your mother.

Naruto laughed and picked up his glass of water, the issue of Madara already leaving his mind. Somewhere he knew that he'd have to tell Itachi about the conversation but that could wait for a bit longer.

They continued to eat in silence with only random sentences to break the quiet. The long flight had made them hungry and there was the promise of a warm shower and bed after dinner.

When they finished dinner, the left overs were carried into the kitchen and stored away for later days. Naruto was sure that he'd be revisiting them the next day for lunch. It was too good to let it just sit in the fridge.

"We'll go say goodnight to everyone and then head up to bed. Sound good?" Itachi smiled and took Naruto's hand, leading them to the living room. They said goodnight to Mikoto and Fugaku before they were directed to Itachi's old bedroom.

"This is going to be embarrassing," Itachi muttered as they climbed the stairs. He remembered the last set of sheets he had put on his bed and they were children's cowboy ones. He doubted that Mikoto had changed them - why would she need to when they were clean? - and he rued the fact that he'd had no other clean sets that day.

"Don't laugh," Itachi said as he opened his door. The cowboy duvet set was nestled smugly on his bed and Itachi just knew Naruto would be smirking right now.

Naruto turned his head to the side, hiding his smile from Itachi. He moved over to the bed and ran his hand over the duvet, knowing that he had a similar one when he was younger. He knew it wasn't Itachi's fault for still having it on his bed, but it was still endearing.

He glanced around, looking around the room and taking everything in. Itachi had seen everything of his at home on the ranch and this was the first time that Naruto was able to see Itachi's home.

Their bags sat next to his desk and he padded over to them, digging through the stuffed suitcase to find some sleep shorts.

"Shower?" he asked, glancing at Itachi over his shoulder.

"Just go back out and it's right opposite. Make sure you lock the door though... too many times I've walked in on people and I don't like the idea of anyone else seeing you."

Itachi moved to stand in front of Naruto and kissed him deeply. He broke apart a moment later with a smirk. "Have a nice shower dear," he called as he moved to the bed, fluffing up the pillows.

Naruto left and Itachi stood in his room, hands on his hips. He was glad it was a double bed, but there still wasn't too much room, especially for two people. He moved Naruto's suitcase from where it had been placed by his father over to the wardrobe, unpacking clothes.

After a quick shower, Naruto padded back into Itachi's room with his towel resting on his shoulders. It felt good to be clean and he couldn't wait to snuggle into the bed and fall asleep.

Shutting the door behind him, he trotted over to the bed and dropped down on it. He let out a sigh as his back was cushioned by the soft material and he rolled around on the top of the duvet.

He stopped rolling around when Itachi came over to stand next to the bed and he looked up at him. With a finger, he gestured for the man to come closer and waited until he was close enough before grabbing the dark ponytail.

"Not dear," he huffed and poked Itachi in the chest. "And your water went cold on me."

Itachi kneeled on the bed, bending down until his nose was inches from Naruto's.

"I'm sorry, I forgot to mention that. It's a very old house and... sometimes the plumbing hates us." Itachi amended his words, "Well, all the time really. It's a really bad system."

Itachi attempted to kiss Naruto, but the finger poking his chest dug in deeper and he stopped.

"What? Is it that I called you dear?" Itachi smirked. He loved to wind Naruto up by using names he found annoying. "But sugar-muffin, why ever do you hate it?"

The effect was somewhat ruined by the wrinkling of his own nose and Itachi chuckled deeply, enjoying the unimpressed look Naruto wore.

"Laugh it up, doll face," Naruto drawled in a thick southern accent. "I'll just tell your mom that you don't take me out to dinner every now and then, and that when you do, you make me pay."

He chuckled, knowing that it was a lie. It was actually a fight to pay for the bill and had evolved more into a contest to see who could outwit the other in paying.

With a grin, he moved his hand away from Itachi's chest and leaned up to kiss Itachi's cheek. Strands of dark hair tickled his skin and he pushed a a few back to rest behind Itachi's ear.

Itachi hummed, "I suppose I'll say sorry this time. It scares me how much you have my mum under your control." Itachi rolled over, laying next to Naruto in the bed. He wrapped his arms around the blond, holding him tightly.

"Who do you think is looking after the house more? Sasuke or the animals? I'm all for the animals having mutinied against Sasuke myself... you know what Bonnet's like. Power hungry." Itachi would always swear that he had seen Bonnet on Lulu's back once, hitching a ride around the yard. No one else had believed him, but Itachi was convinced the cat had tasted power and never looked back.

Naruto laughed lightly. "I'm sure they've rebelled against Sasuke. Demanding more food and treats. Either that, or Sasuke will just spoil them senseless so that they stay content. Either way, the animals are in control."

He wiggled in Itachi's grip, wanting to get under the covers so he could escape the cool air in the bedroom. Once under the covers, he let Itachi's wrap around him once more and sighed in content.

Itachi tucked his head against Naruto's, resting comfortably. He had missed his bed in a way and only just remembered how comfortable it was now he was back in it. And having Naruto here too made the experience even better.

"I won't set an alarm for tomorrow. There isn't much to do, Susanoo won't be ready to breed for a couple of days and the vet's coming to check her tomorrow... I say breakfast in bed and then a riding lesson for you out on the South Downs."

Itachi smiled at the thought of showing Naruto the surrounding area. He'd been excited to share every part of his life with his lover, but there had always been the issue of him growing up in England before. Now, though, he was free to show Naruto everything.

Naruto nodded and wiggled closer, letting his legs intertwine with Itachi's. "I like that plan," he said and let his eyes close. "So long as Mad Maddy doesn't follow us out there. But sleeping in and breakfast in bed, I'm in agreement with that."

He pulled the duvet up higher so it kept the chill out, even though Itachi was doing a good job of keeping him warm already. He blamed it on the different weather here in England. Texas always promised ninety degree weather until at least October. This cooler weather wasn't sitting right with him, turning him into a wimp as cold weather usually did. It was almost laughable.

"Weakling," Itachi muttered, pulling Naruto closer and entwining their legs. "And you never did tell me what happened with Madara." Itachi had to admit, the first time Naruto had called his uncle 'Mad Maddy', he had laughed. It was an appropriate nickname, though Itachi had made Naruto swear not to say it in front of family members - Sasuke excluded.

"Oh right," Naruto said softly and glanced up at Itachi. "Well, simply put, he's retiring and is passing his shares of the stud to us. I know it sounds crazy and now you know why I was calling him an alien. In his defense though, he did drink right before hand so maybe he was tipsy and didn't know what he was saying."

Itachi blinked, drawing away from Naruto and propping himself up on one elbow. He frowned, questions budding to his mind.

"Are you sure? I mean... did he give you something to read through or sign or..?" At Naruto's nod, Itachi flung himself back on the bed, hands crossed over his chest.

It didn't make sense. He had made his peace with Madara a long time ago, however begrudging it was on both parts, but for his uncle to take this step, sell his shares to Naruto (because Itachi would have heard if he was offered the shares)... it was a phenomenal move.

For Madara, it was as if he was rolling out the welcome wagon and embracing Naruto.

Itachi chuckled, finding that he couldn't quite stop after a moment. He rolled over to look at Naruto and saw the slightly puzzled look on his face.

"Madara has the mind of a businessman. He apologises in contracts and fights in contracts. For him to give up his shares and ask you to take them... no matter what else he says, it's an apology and a welcome to the family."

Naruto blinked. "Are you sure? Cause earlier he was ranting about how much he hated Western riding. Not that I'm trying to turn down a welcoming invitation to the family, but it was just...odd." He glared at Itachi. "Or is this just some British thing that you didn't tell me about."

He huffed as Itachi laughed some more and finally turned around to his other side. "Your family is crazy." He felt Itachi's arm drawing him closer to the warm body and he took that as the Uchiha's way of apologizing. "But crazy is cool."

Tomorrow, he's sort through his thoughts and the papers that Madara was trying to pass off to him. He'd have Itachi help him to make sure that the eldest Uchiha wasn't playing a game and trying to pull the wool over his eyes.

He rolled back around to face Itachi and found dark eyes watching him. With a small smile, he snuggled closer and pressed a kiss to Itachi's cheek.

"We're all crazy here," Itachi said quietly, wrapping his arms tightly around Naruto again. "Even me. I'm especially crazy." He smiled, pressing his forehead to Naruto's and closing his eyes slowly.

He could feel Naruto's breathing even out, his breaths changing to those of a sleeping person's, and Itachi felt his body growing lighter, slipping to follow Naruto.

Naruto shifted in his sleep and Itachi smiled, wiggling his fingers a little and snuggling into the pillow. He'd never grow tired of falling asleep with Naruto.

**.**

The sun was hidden behind thick gray clouds as Naruto stood outside the barn. His hands were shoved into the pockets of his jacket and he opened his mouth, puffing out air. He grinned as his breath came out in a cloud of smoke and tilted his head back to do it again.

It was something that always amused him, even though he hated the cold. He grinned and curled his tongue, trying to see if he could somehow make a smoke ring. He wasn't sure if it was possible, but he always tried anyway.

His head dropped back down as hooves sounded on the ground and he turned around to face Itachi as the Uchiha led the horses out.

"Susanoo's only on light exercise so I'm afraid it'll have to be a new horse for you. Luckily he's a bit cobbish and practically unspookable. A slow and steady ride is what you'll have." Itachi pulled a chestnut horse slightly ahead of the dun thoroughbred cross he was going to ride.

Naruto looked scared and Itachi couldn't blame him. He'd been terrified the first time he'd ridden Western, but he wanted Naruto to have a proper go.

"He's called Arthur. My one's called Jerry. I'm just going to tie him up for a moment while I help you."

Itachi left Naruto in the company of Arthur while he took the dun horse to the edge of the school, hooking the reins over the horse's head and onto the fence, tying them in a loose knot. Not exactly safe, but he'd only be a moment.

"I'll give you a leg up," he said, returning to a fidgety Naruto. Itachi wasn't sure if it was because he'd forced a hard hat and body protector onto him (much to Naruto's displeasure) or if it was the whole experience.

He helped position Naruto once he was on, pushing his hips back a little and deeper in the seat. He straightened his legs, bending them back at the correct place, before slipping Naruto's feet into the stirrups.

"There, now I'll be back in a moment. Why don't you try walking around?"

Naruto nodded and urged Arthur forward into an easy walk. He kept wanting to switch the reins over into one hand and guide him through neck reining but that wasn't the proper way this time.

Instead, he used both hands and gently directed the horse. He tried a circle, pulling the rein back to his knee as he had seen Itachi do before. A grin crossed his face when Arthur's body started to curve into a circle and he guided the chestnut over to Itachi.

"I made him turn!" he said happily and resisted the urge to bounce in the saddle. Steady horse or not, it wasn't something he wanted to put Arthur through. A light blush crept across his face when he realized how childish he sounded and he glanced towards Itachi, waiting for him to explain what they were doing next.

Itachi smiled at Naruto, loosening Jerry's reins as he sat deeply in the saddle. He threaded his feet through the stirrups and moved his leg a fraction, sending Jerry to a walk. He moved his horse to walk beside Naruto's, looping his reins and tying them so that he could let go of them fully and not have them slip down.

"You just need to adjust your hold a little," Itachi reached over, pushing Naruto's hips forward a little, causing him to sit deeper. "It's different to Western, but it's also the same." Itachi frowned. "That wasn't a very good sentence was it?"

He chuckled, pulling away from Naruto. "You can control a horse by your seat alone."

Itachi raised his hands above his head and clenched his muscles slightly. Jerry stopped a few seconds later and Itachi shifted his position slightly again. Jerry walked on, turning as Itachi moved in little motions.

"And that's what you do in Western too. More than you think. So don't be scared by what I'm about to do."

Itachi was back next to Naruto and he urged Jerry to trot, clicking his tongue. As predicted, Naruto's horse picked his pace up, transitioning into a rocky trot.

Naruto stiffened slightly before letting his body relax again. Nothing good ever came out of riding when your body was tense. His hips moved forward with the gait as he had seen Itachi do whenever he rode the trot.

It helped to smooth out the rockiness of the trot and he figured it wasn't too bad. He had ridden worse before.

His eyes darted over to Itachi and he smiled widely. His nervousness was slowly fading away as the minutes passed and he trotted back to Itachi. Arther slowed down to a walk at his asking and he looked at Itachi.

"Not quite Olympic riding but I'm not on the ground," he said with a laugh.

Itachi steered his horse next to Naruto and smiled. They walked next to each other for a while, talking casually and enjoying the pace. The horses were content to walk next to each other calmly as their riders discussed the upcoming visit.

"I'm hoping Susanoo can be covered in a few days and then all we have to do is wait for the vet to confirm conception... and then we'll take her home. Did you have anything you wanted to do while we're in England?" Itachi half turned in the saddle, smiling at Naruto.

Naruto's eyebrows furrowed as he thought before he finally nodded. "Can we go to the pubs that you're always talking about?" he asked. He had never been to a proper pub before and was curious to see one that Itachi had mentioned it.

He had always been under the impression that they were the same things as a bar, but Itachi had been quick to fix his mistake.

"Sure," he said, turning his horse into the centre and preparing to dismount. "I suppose we should go for a shower now and pick up some shopping and then we can go to one of the local pubs."

Itachi dismounted and brought the rein's over Jerry's head, waiting for Naruto before he led them out. They walked to the line of stables and let the horses loose, untacking them.

The moved up the small hill to the house and Naruto glanced at Itachi, a small grin stretching across his face. "You know, I think you should come shower with me. That way, if the water gets cold, I'll have a warm body to keep me from getting cold."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Really now? Well, that does sound promising... but it's a small shower." Itachi smirked, "We'd be awfully close."

Naruto chuckled and Itachi drew him close, walking together in a one-armed embrace each.

"I think I'd be fine with that," Naruto commented as they entered their room. He turned his head to give Itachi a quick kiss before grabbing some new clothes. Without another word, he slipped into the empty hallway and made his way to the bathroom. He paused outside the bathroom door and glanced at Itachi. "Will you wash my back?" he asked, voice low and husky.

Itachi raised an eyebrow, cocking a smirk.

"Well," he began. "I didn't agree to anything of the sort, but I suppose..."

He gave a huff of laugh as Naruto pushed against his side. Itachi opened the door, stepping inside and pulling Naruto in, not stopping him before their chests bumped. Itachi kissed Naruto, leaning down slightly and pressing his lips against Naruto's heart, warming at the familiar sensation.

They broke apart a moment later and Itachi pulled the shower curtain across the tub, switching the clunking water system on and pulling at Naruto's clothes, trying to get him out of them as quickly as possible.

Naruto chuckled at Itachi's attempts and his hands joined in, making things harder as their fingers battled to undo buttons and push away the pieces of clothes. In the end, Naruto abandoned his own clothes in favor of getting Itachi out of his shirt, shivering slightly as his pants were pushed to the floor.

He leaned forward, lips pressing against Itachi's as he worked to get Itachi's pants off. They were the only thing keeping them from getting into the warm shower and the faster they came off, the quicker they could enjoy the shower together.

At Naruto's eagerness, Itachi smirked, kicking his own trousers off and throwing them across the small room. They might have landed halfway down the toilet for all Itachi could care, but that wasn't right there and then, and he focused instead on climbing into the shower.

"Look at you," Itachi said, mouth warm as he brought Naruto under the spray, resting his chest against Naruto's back. "How did I end up with someone as gorgeous as you?"

Naruto flushed slightly and pressed back into Itachi. Such simple words and they never failed to make his heart race and feel as though he was falling for Itachi all over again. He turned his head to the side and let his lips brush against Itachi's in a heated kiss. A small sigh left his mouth as Itachi's hand rested on his hip, keeping him close as their tongues curled and wrapped around each other.

"You spoil me," Naruto murmured when they broke apart.

Water was free flowing and warm and Itachi closed his eyes for a moment, completely relaxed. Naruto pressed against him and he smiled, opening his eyes and ducking his head out of the water, kissing a line down Naruto's nose and smoothing his hands over his hips, slipping down until his fingers rested against Naruto's thighs, temptingly.

"Perhaps," he muttered, voice low as he reached for the shower gel at the side of the tub. He squeezed some onto his palm, bringing his hand up and running it across Naruto's collar. He massaged the gel over Naruto's shoulders, gently and lovingly, before moving back around and down Naruto's chest.

A small purr left Naruto's throat and he watched as the teasing hand trailed down his chest, his breath hitching as fingers brushed over his nipples. It was an innocent touch, but it still sent sparks racing through his body. The fingers were gone the next moment and Naruto watched as they continued to move down his body, tracing every dip and curve on his torso.

He jerked as Itachi's nails scrapped lightly over his sides, the action making him shiver as a sensitive spot was touched. There wasn't a spot on his body that Itachi didn't know about and the older male knew how to play him like an instrument. Touching him in such a way that Naruto was brought to the highest peaks of pleasure and leaving him trembling under those talented fingers.

With a wicked grin, Itachi pulled Naruto under the water's stream, smoothing over his skin once more as he washed the gel off. All the time he made sure he was aligned with Naruto, making sure that Naruto could feel his arousal, could feel how much he wanted this and how much he ached for it.

His hand still had some soap suds as he reached down, past the curve of Naruto's cheeks and past his perineum, cupping Naruto's balls gently, massaging them to feel their weight. He felt Naruto start, push back into him, and smiled wider. His thumb hovered just over the skin between ball sac and cleft, just above the small pleasure spot he knew would drive Naruto wild.

Not yet though, Itachi thought, ever so slightly pushing down on the heated skin, kissing Naruto's neck as he gasped, wanting more. Itachi would give him more, but not just yet.

"Tease," Naruto panted and he pushed his hips back against Itachi's erection. He groaned as he felt it slide against his ass. He shuddered as the fingers continued to stroke and press against the spot and Naruto's hands quickly reached up to press against the shower wall. He arched his back and pressed back further, wanting more. More Itachi and more of that sinful touch that made him tremble with need.

His hand left the wall and trailed down his body until fingers brushed against Itachi's. Naruto paused and glanced over his shoulder slightly before grasping Itachi's hand, giving it a small push towards the place where he wanted Itachi's fingers the most.

The combination of suds and water made it easier for Itachi to slid a finger into Naruto, adjusting their positions so he could take the slight addition of weight as Naruto leant into him. The shower was slippery, but they'd had enough practice by now to manoeuver in small spaces at home.

As he slid his finger in, deeper and searching for the spot he'd teased previously, Itachi's other hand lazily brought their cocks together, rubbing his hand up and down, distracting Naruto as he pushed a second finger in. He was slow, keeping the edge on the pleasure yet not letting it draw further in. He wanted this to be good, last as long as it could, and his thumb ran over the head of Naruto's cock slowly, teasing and distracting as he stretched Naruto.

As the fingers made a scissoring motion, Naruto bucked into Itachi's hand, moaning as his cock rubbed against Itachi's even more. The water made the motion easier and Naruto leaned forward, capturing Itachi's lips. Even with Itachi's hand on his cock, it still wasn't enough contact and Naruto wanted more. He always wanted more of Itachi.

Tongues curled around each other and lazily battled for dominance before pulling away slightly. Naruto hummed as his mouth moved away from Itachi's, his lips trailing down the pale neck and nipping lightly at the skin until red marks formed under his touch. He paused over Itachi's pulse, feeling it racing just under the skin and Naruto's lips descended on the spot, sucking on it harshly.

Itachi's eyes rolled back as Naruto sucked his skin, teeth teasing him. They'd had years to perfect techniques, but it never lost its fun.

He groaned, shifting under the water and removing his fingers, slipping his hand to Naruto's waist instead. Itachi turned Naruto slowly, kissing his neck and cupping his arse, his own dick twitching in anticipation of what was to come.

"Ready?" Itachi whispered, letting Naruto shudder under him. He had to pause a moment, catching his breath to stop himself coming simply from entering Naruto. It had to be good for the both of them, always.

Naruto nodded. "Yes," he breathed and pushed back against Itachi. He wanted to feel that pleasurable feeling of Itachi stretching him again; the sense of being full and being so close to his lover. It was an intimate feeling and one that Naruto would never get tired of feeling.

A long moan left his mouth as the head of Itachi's cock pushed past his stretched entrance and he felt Itachi's nails dig into his skin as a soft gasp left the older male's mouth. Itachi pushed in slowly and Naruto whined as he felt Itachi's hips press against his ass, making him tremble slightly.

"Move," he said lowly after a few seconds of standing still under the spray.

Itachi did as commanded, grunting as Naruto pushed back and down. Pleasure sparked a fire in Itachi's belly, down into his groin and over his cock as he moved, trying to keep his breathing regular and controlled.

Curving over Naruto slightly, Itachi kissed Naruto's neck, teeth grazing against the skin, pulling slightly as he pushed in deeper. Under him, Naruto's breathing became erratic and Itachi finally let his own control slip, let his breathing slide and become shortened. He drove his hips slowly, using a free hand to gently, teasingly, curl against Naruto's cock with a smile.

Naruto whined at the slow pace that Itachi had set and pushed his hips back harder against Itachi, wanting the man to speed up. The hand that was on his cock slipped away to hold his hips still as Itachi continued to control the speed, teasing him with soft touches and a slow rhythm that had arousal racing through Naruto's veins.

It made the pleasure build slowly as it swirled throughout his body, every nerve tingling and on fire as Itachi thrust leisurely. "Itachi," Naruto finally moaned, wanting to feel more of the older male; seeking that heady feeling on Itachi could bring in the throes of passion.

As if Naruto calling his name gave him permission, Itachi increased his pace, pushing them forward. He wanted to hear Naruto's voice, let Naruto make him undone and come, let Naruto choose how and why and when. There was one thing that could make Itachi unravel and that was Naruto's small noises of pleasure when they had sex.

Itachi could feel his orgasm approach and groaned, driving deeper and faster into Naruto. He came with fierce intensity, filling Naruto and sliding slickly in and out, soothing his post-orgasm as his hand moved to finish Naruto off.

Naruto shivered as Itachi continued to stroke his length, pushing him closer to the edge. Despite the arousal and heat singing through his veins, he felt a small trickle of pride working through his body, knowing that he was the one to make Itachi come undone in such a way. And he was the only one who could see such a thing.

The thought made him groan lowly as his body stiffened before he came harshly, Itachi's hand milking his cock while his muscles fluttered and clenched around the older male. Their bodies trembled against each other while soft pants fell from their mouths as they worked to suck oxygen back into their lungs, ignoring the cooling water that cascaded over their backs.

It took a moment, but Itachi finally pulled free of Naruto, grabbing a flannel from the floor and making sure to clean them both. He was gentle with Naruto, kissing him while he washed them, until the water was too cold to be comfortable anymore.

Itachi reached around Naruto to shut the water off, leading them out of the bath. He took two towels and they dried each other, smiling in post-orgasmic comfort.

"Not bad for an old shower, eh?" Itachi said, nudging Naruto and sneaking a small kiss.

"Not bad at all," Naruto answered and gave Itachi a kiss of his own. He ran his fingers through the wet locks and smiled at Itachi. "Thank you for the wonderful shower. Washing me, getting me dirty, and then washing me again." He chuckled and grabbed for the sweatpants that were resting on the counter, wanting to feel the warm fabric against his skin after the cool shower.

Once they were both dressed, he reached for Itachi's hand and tugged the older male back to their room. He knew they had plans to go shopping and to the pub, but there was nothing wrong with a quick, hour nap before then.

As they moved back to Itachi's room, Naruto at Itachi's side, Itachi thought about how far they'd come. They climbed into bed, Itachi tucked against Naruto, and he thought about the angry young man who had accused him of poisoning his horse.

"Polos," Itachi muttered, drawing a slight noise of confusion from Naruto. "Never mind," Itachi continued, smiling to himself as he fell asleep.

Naruto grunted softly and wiggled closer to Itachi, stealing the warmth from the older male as he closed his eyes, willing sleep to steal him away. It was hard to believe how far they had come from the first day they met. Their relationship had started funny and rocky before they even knew that it was destined to become one, but Naruto wouldn't have it any other way.

Because despite the bumps along the way, they had continued on and pushed forward, wanting something more. And just like in riding, you have to pick yourself back up after you fall and move forward, learning from the past. You gain nothing from just sitting on the ground, licking your wounds. But before you could pick yourself up from the ground, you had to know one thing first.

You have to know how to fall.

**.**


End file.
